A radical experiment in Namibia: helping wildlife survive by putting their fate in the hands of the people who share their lands. It’s as though the U.S. government said to the people who live around Yellowstone National Park, “You know what? All those wild animals in the park — the grizzlies, the bison, the wolves — they belong to you.”
…They wield control over the wildlife within the conservancy boundaries, which are set by conservancy members and the central government. Conservancies then partner with tourist lodges and safari companies and take a cut of the income from tourists who come to see the giraffes, zebras, lions, rhinoceroses and other exotic animals. They operate campsites, too. And they collect thousands of dollars from trophy hunters who come to shoot lions and cheetahs and antelopes. A single lion can bring in up to $10,000…
As a result, poaching has been nearly wiped out in Namibia, and wildlife numbers are rising. Meanwhile, across Africa, wildlife numbers are declining as human populations chip away at habitat and poaching increases for bush meat and black market items like rhino horns.