Maurus Nekaro Conservancy Faces Management Challenges

Maurus Nekaro Conservancy in the Kavango West Region is facing significant management challenges that threaten its wildlife conservation mission. Established in 2016 and gazetted in August 2017, the conservancy has achieved notable successes in community development while protecting wildlife resources. However, the conservancy is grappling with issues such as illegal settlement, illegal fencing, and resource allocation, which are hindering its mission.

Key Takeaways:

• The Maurus Nekaro Conservancy has a governance structure that includes 19 management committee members and one traditional authority representative to ensure community involvement in decision-making processes.
• The conservancy was demarcated into two zones in 2021 - the settlement and cropping zone and the multiple use hunting priority zone reserved for wildlife.
• Illegal settlement within the wildlife exclusive zone and illegal fencing are huge challenges for the conservancy, with some of these individuals coming from top authority and traditional authority chief councils.
• A major dispute has emerged over a proposed road construction from Seco to Gcaruhwa that would pass through the wildlife exclusive zone, with the conservancy currently in conflict with the Kavango West Regional Council.
• The conservancy has proposed an alternative route through Nepara that would avoid the protected wildlife area while still serving transportation needs.
• The conservancy has delivered significant community benefits, including drilling four boreholes, donating school uniforms to 48 vulnerable individuals across 18 schools, and establishing water connections from NamWater stations to local villages.
• The conservancy faces resource allocation issues, with officials noting that the approved hunting quota of one trophy elephant and other limited species is insufficient for the large conservancy area and community needs.
• Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Tobie Aupindi, emphasized the need for cooperation between the conservancy management committee and traditional authorities to prevent unauthorised settlement in conservancy areas, and the importance of stopping poaching and training local community members as trophy hunters to enhance the conservancy revenue and value chain.
• Illegal fishing activities along the Kavango River, which forms the border with Angola, continue to threaten fish populations despite community-established fishing regulations.

Statistics:

• The conservancy covers 1 117 square hectares.
• 19 management committee members and one traditional authority representative govern the conservancy.
• The conservancy was demarcated into two zones in 2021.
• Four boreholes have been drilled by the conservancy.
• 48 vulnerable individuals received school uniforms from the conservancy, distributed across 18 schools.
• Water connections from NamWater stations to local villages have been established.
• 1 trophy elephant is the approved hunting quota per year, along with other limited species.

Sources:

• NAMPA (2025) - "Maurus Nekaro Conservancy faces management challenges" (No date or publication date provided)
• Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources - Chairperson Tobie Aupindi