Support conservation efforts of iconic, charismatic species

Support conservation efforts of iconic, charismatic species

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Lion Conservation

Lion Ranger Program

The Lion Ranger Program, co-founded by Russell Vinjevold, Dr. John Heydinger and Dr. Philip Stander, supports ongoing research and human-lion conflict mediation, mitigation, and management efforts in the Kunene Region of northwest Namibia. Their goal is the long-term sustainable management of human-lion conflict by communities in northwest Namibia to ensure continued desert-adapted lion survival and community benefit.

The number one threat to desert-adapted lions is retaliation following human-lion conflict – the Lion Ranger program aims to remove this threat. The Lion Ranger programme unifies communal, governmental, and non-governmental stakeholders by bringing together community, government, NGO, and research stakeholders for adaptive, sustainable management, with particular emphasis on human-lion conflict challenges.

The programme focuses on a community-based approach: the Lion Rangers are conservancy-employed game guards who receive special training and equipment to lead efforts in combating conflict between humans and lions on communal land. TOSCO supports the Lion Ranger Program with lion ranger training, monthly top-up bonuses (both through the support of the CCFN- Community Conservation Fund of Namibia) as well as with logistic and coordination support.

Lion Research

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Elephant conservation

Human-elephant conflict mitigation
About chillies to protect gardens

Creating elephant-based income for communities
Chili products / info centres

Elephant research
About Desert Elephant Conservation / Dr. Ramey and Dr. Brown.

Rhino conservation

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Other research projects that TOSCO supports

Although the extinction of wildlife species occurs naturally without human interference, the current rapid loss of species is a direct result of the impact of humankind on biodiversity. Habitat destruction and fragmentation, poaching, climate change and human-wildlife conflict are amongst major threats to wildlife and radical action is needed to conserve our natural ecosystems. In order to inform conservation priorities and establish the right measures, conservation research is of key importance. TOSCO supports various recognised researchers who make contributions to Namibian conservation, with a focus on the long-term survival of threatened and endangered wildlife.

Deane Spall

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Agnes Dury

My immense love for the natural world made me want to devote my life to conservation from an early age. My MSc in Tourism, Society, and Environment in the Netherlands grew my passion for the role sustainable tourism can take in conservation. As an avid traveler, I understand why exploring the unknown can be so enriching for many of us and I hope future generations can still enjoy traveling. I am originally from the Netherlands, and arrived in Namibia in 2016. It appeared the ultimate country to learn what successful conservation is about.

I could not have found a better organisation than TOSCO to involve tourism in the conservation equation. I joined TOSCO in 2019, initially coordinating the Desert Lion Program, and then became manager in 2020. Apart from that, I am involved in the Wildlife Credits program on behalf of TOSCO, partnering with WWF Namibia and CCFN. Through TOSCO and working with rural communities and other conservation partners, I really got to understand what successful conservation is about. I am very excited to grow TOSCO further with the team, broadening the connection between tourism and conservation by getting more of the tourism industry to join our movement, and deepening this connection by making conservation an integral part of tourism and the travel experience. I believe TOSCO with its team and programs can make a real difference!

Lara Potma

I am very excited to grow TOSCO further with the team, broadening the connection between tourism and conservation by getting more of the tourism industry to join our movement, and deepening this connection by making conservation an integral part of tourism and the travel experience. I believe TOSCO with its team and programs can make a real difference!