From providing satellite collar-triggered early warning systems to notify rural farmers of lion presence, to supporting lion rangers and rapid response units to support rural farmers in times of human-animal conflict, to providing predator-proof enclosures (kraals) to keep livestock safe at night as well as supporting crucial research and monitoring.
Namibia cherishes its reputation as home to the only population of lions increasing in number outside the confines of a national park. This population is found in the country’s arid north-west and is aptly described as desert-adapted lions.
To mark World Lion Day on August 10th, Ultimate Safaris is investing in a new state-of-the-art research and monitoring vehicle to keep track of northern Namibia’s unique desert lion population.
Tristan Cowley, managing director and co-founder of Ultimate Safaris, commented: “Desert Lion Conservation has dedicated the last three decades towards the recovery and conservation of one of the unique populations of lions in Africa.
The Conservation Travel Founding has raised sufficient funds to supply Desert Lion Conservation with a much-needed research and monitoring vehicle. Dedicated to protecting the wilderness areas of Namibia where it operates, the award-winning Ultimate Safaris is proud to work through its non-profit organisation, the Conservation Travel Foundation, to support the conservation of the top predators which are crucial to the overall survival of biodiversity in the African savanna.
Ultimate Safaris is investing significantly in these exceptional lion groups’ management, conservation, and research by working with its partners and sponsors to learn more about these vulnerable animals to ensure they survive and thrive. The small population exists in extreme desert conditions, exhibiting extraordinary adaptation to their environment and living in a harsh habitat of dunes, gravel plains, and barren mountains, occasionally foraging along the beaches of the Skeleton Coast.
Ultimate Safaris has, via the Conservation Travel Foundation, supported the conservation of desert-adapted lions to the tune of £207,000 (US$ 250,000) over the past three years. As a result, the iconic “Desert” lion has become a prominent feature in Namibia. He is highly valued, both aesthetically and financially, by community conservancies and the growing tourism industry alike. The aim is also to reinforce the image of the desert lions as a national asset to Namibia, which must be conserved and managed widely to benefit the Namibian people and the broader international community.
It was enhanced with state-of-the-art fittings because of the incredible support of Safari Engineering, Freedom Won Batteries, Outback Armour Suspensions, Redarc solar technologies, Terrain Tamer equipment, and signage from CTRL P, which has resulted in one of the most advanced trail-blazing research and monitoring vehicles on the African continent. This population has become a national treasure and carries a significant value for conservation-based tourism, ensuring Conservancy Based Natural Resource Management has the best chance of succeeding.
Building a resilient future is a core aim of Ultimate Safaris, which specialises in privately guided safaris for individuals and small groups, with experts in wildlife and the natural landscape. A brand-new modified Toyota Land Cruiser V8 is making its debut thanks to support from the Lion Recovery Fund, Ultimate Safaris, Thika Foundation, and The Explorations Company, assisted by a generous discount from Gobabis Toyota. Considered among the leading authorities on travel to Namibia, Ultimate Safaris pioneers new ways to experience the country, ensuring exceptional leadership and a real connection to local communities and places.
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Written by: Matthew Thomas
