Namibia: A Vision for Wildlife

This is a 4-day symposium followed by a choice of eight different safaris:

• Namibia Expedition (2 departures)
• Giraffe Conservation Safari
• In the Realm of the Desert Lion
• Southern Africa Wildlife Safari
• Botswana Wildlife Safari
• Wild Zimbabwe
• Undiscovered Zambia

Overview

In Namibia, a nation born just 27 years ago, a new concept for preserving wildlife and supporting local communities has been dreamed into existence. The land of the oldest desert on Earth is now home to the continent’s only growing wildlife population, and Namibia’s model is quickly being replicated across Africa. This is due to the incredible vision of Garth Owen-Smith and the government and people of Namibia who embraced this new model of “community conservation,” in which the destiny and support of wildlife and communities are intertwined, and even enshrined in the country’s constitution. We are bringing together the visionaries and wildlife experts who are key to the development of this model, and invite you to hear their stories firsthand while you experience Namibia’s unique wildlife in the country’s legendary settings. We have designed a unique program of safaris to accompany the symposium. Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime event.

The Guest Speakers

Garth Owen-Smith, the pioneer of Namibia’s wildlife and community conservancies, is a winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize. Author of An Arid Eden, he was awarded the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa.

Tammy Hoth-Hanssen’s family ranch was in a human-wildlife conflict zone. She co-founded the AfriCat Foundation to find creative solutions to the problem, and it is now the largest carnivore rescue and release program in the world.

Simson Uri-Khob, a rhino conservationist and master tracker, is CEO of Save the Rhino Trust, which protects desert-adapted black rhino. He is a winner of the Namibia Nature Foundation Environmental Award.

Julian Fennessy, PhD, is director and conservation scientist of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, dedicated to saving this species on the verge of “silent extinction.” His work includes groundbreaking genetic research and field studies.

Philip “Flip” Stander, PhD, the world’s leading authority on desert lion, spends 300 days a year in the field, tracking and studying these extraordinary creatures. Founder of the Desert Lion Conservation Project, he was honored with the Thomas Huxley Award by the London Zoological Society.