Imagine travelling the lengths of this planet, enduring long layovers, leg cramps and perhaps a chair-kicking child – all worth it for that highly anticipated moment when the wheels of a steel bird touch the tarmac and you are on African soil. A sigh of relief. Your holiday has just begun and you are undoubtedly off to the far corners of Namibia in search of rugged landscapes, natural wonders and untamed wildlife.
“When it comes to conserving wildlife and the environment, it’s more important to be outspoken than unspoken.”
- Paul Oxton
You are sure to find breathtaking scenery, mountain ranges, valleys, bushveld and desert. But where are all the untamed animals National Geographic told you about? In this scenario, they are in captivity posing for selfies.
There are roughly 16 threatened or endangered mammal species found in Namibia. This list includes both black and white rhino, African elephant and lion, giraffe, as well as leopard and cheetah. We can agree that these few mammals are quintessential to the safari experience and sighting at least one of them in their natural habitat is on almost everyone’s bucket list.
Due to their endangered nature, many of these animals are in captivity. In the case of orphaned rhino calves, many of whom lost their life givers to poaching, their captivity is (or should be) for the purpose of raising and rehabilitation. Many mature rhinos are also in captivity and kept under close surveillance to help protect them against
