CLIMATE CROWD NEWSLETTER - June 2019
Climate Crowd is a crowdsourcing initiative that convenes and supports a network of partners to gather data on how climate change is impacting people and nature, and supports on-the-ground projects that help rural communities adapt while reducing pressure on biodiversity.
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Namibia will auction off at least 1,000 wild animals from their national parks to raise money for conservation efforts. The move comes in response to one of the worst droughts in recent history, which has severely depleted grazing land, a devastating impact for livestock herders and wildlife alike. Read more in this article by The Guardian.
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“ The grazing condition in most of our parks is extremely poor and if we do not reduce the number of animals, this will lead to loss of an [sic] animals due to starvation ”
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A new normal
Namibia has faced repeated droughts in recent years, with another drought emergency declared just three years ago. In Climate Crowd interviews local people identified similar issues of shrinking pasture leading to more conflicts with wildlife as people and their livestock travel farther to access scarce resources and elephants raid crops.
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Emerging solutions
Herders in Kenya are facing similar issues related to drought. Though many report losing cattle, some have switched to other livestock that are better able to cope with drought, while others participate in planned grazing within conservancies whereby grazing is only permitted at certain times, allowing pasture to regenerate.
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Banner photo: © Nikhil Advani / WWF-US; Ehirivopuka conservancy © Rebecca Snyder / WWF-US; Maasai Mara livestock: © Nikhil Advani / WWF-US
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