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Relief Fund |
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Relief Fund for the
Wild Horses
You can actively help to preserve the freedom of the Wild
Horses on the fringe of the Namib Desert. Please support
- steps to monitor and regulate the horse population for
long-term
- preservation
- feeding operations during droughts to safeguard essential
numbers
- research projects
aiming at better understanding the horses and their -
habitat and improving their protection
- measures for increasing information and awareness among
the public
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Make a donation to the 'Wild Horses Fund'
or the 'Wild Horses Science Research Fund' of the Namibia
Nature Foundation (NNF). |
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| Account
Name: |
NNF
- Wild Horses |
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'Main Fund' or 'Science Research Fund') |
Account
Number:
Bank:
Branch:
Bank Code:
Swift Code:
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11000050077
Nedbank Namibia
Main Branch
461609
NEDSNANX |
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Why was the Main Fund
established?
Picture this: the area around Garub is struck by drought,
as is the case every couple of years. Hardly any rain,
hardly any fresh grass. Trips between water and reasonably
nutritious grazing become increasingly longer for the
Wild Horses. They become emaciated and some weak animals
perish. Horse lovers sound the alarm. Fodder is urgently
needed. If necessary, some of the horses should be caught
and taken to areas with better grazing. But all this is
very costly. How can money be obtained fast enough? Budgetary
restraints at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism
(MET) leave very little leeway - even more so because
the Wild Horses are not regarded as indigenous fauna (see:
origin and
future) and
therefore do not have top priority. And fundraising takes
time. Time, which the starving animals do not have to
spare... |
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After the feeding and catching operation
of 1992/93 the Ministry
of Environment and Tourism suggested to set up a relief
fund so that in times of need funds would be available
immediately. The Namibia
Nature Foundation (NNF) subsequently established the
Wild Horses Fund. In 1998/99, when drought conditions
prevailed yet again, the fund already proved its worth.
The existing funds could immediately be used to buy fodder.
British media reports (Daily
Mail, Evening
Standard) about the starving horses triggered overwhelming
response and, with a proper account for donations, money
kept coming in which in subsequent months and years could
be used for other measures. |
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Utilisation of
Funds: |
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| 1998/99 |
ca. N$ 73,000 |
fodder |
| 2000 |
ca. N$ 7,000 |
fodder |
| 2000 |
ca. N$ 500 |
display board at the hide |
| 2004 |
ca. N$ 7,500 |
alterations to the visitors’ hide
(because horses strayed into it) |
| 2004-07 |
ca. N$ 75,000 |
subsidies for vehicles, computers and other equipment
for staff of MET who are responsible for the area |
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A foal finding itself 'trapped'
in the original visitors' hide (2003).
Photo: Telané Greyling |
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Staff of the Ministry of Environment
and Tourism busy repairing the water pump at Garub (2005).
Photo: Telané Greyling |
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Why
have a Research Fund?
Crisis management is more expensive and less effective
than implementing a comprehensive conservation programme
with foresight. For doing that, however, one needs
to know more about the horses and their habitat.
One should be able to experiment with various measures
(e.g. what type of fodder, mineral supplements,
in what form, when to start feeding, when to stop?)
and scientifically identify the most effective ones.
Rainfall and the condition of grazing have to be
monitored regularly so that appropriate steps can
be taken in good time. For financing such projects
and measures the accommodation establishment Klein-Aus
Vista set up the Wild Horses Science Research
Fund under the NNF |
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The weather station near Garub delivers valuable
data.
Photo: Telané Greyling |
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umbrella (same
account number) in November 2002. Klein-Aus Vista regularly
contributes part of the proceeds from its mineral water
sales: 10 Cent per bottle Desert Dew is for the Research
Fund.
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Utilisation of
Funds: |
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| 2003 |
ca. N$ 9,000 |
Weather station in the vicinity of Garub which
collects and stores weather data for downloading
by laptop. Dr Telané Greyling regularly peruses
the data. With rainfall figures it is possible to
estimate more accurately for how long nutritious
grass will still be available in sufficient quantities.
Should relief efforts become necessary, Dr Greyling
is able to inform the authorities in good time |
| 2003/04 |
ca. N$ 9,000 |
Laboratory analyses to determine the nutrients
of dry and green grasses |
| 2004 |
ca. N$ 2,000 |
'Game Blocks' (mineral licks); their effectiveness
was tested by Greyling |
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Why
are more donations needed?
The Main Fund continues to serve mainly as a nest egg
for times of drought – which are a regular feature
on the fringe of the Namib. Furthermore, these funds are
also used to support MET – not least with the goal
to put recommendations into action which were submitted
by experts in late 2005 (see future,
‘Measures of Moderation’).
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The Research
Fund, on the other hand, is intended for Dr Telané
Greyling’s scientific projects and concrete plans.
The latter include:
- shade netting over the water basin at Garub to reduce
evaporation
- a new, updated information board for the visitors’
hide at Garub
- a board on the outside of the hide with warnings for
the horses’
- protection
(e.g. ‘do not feed’, ‘please use the
toilet and do not litter
- the surroundings with
toilet paper’)
- a new weather station with transmitter for downloading
data by mobile
- phone; the current weather
station can then be installed at Klein-Aus
- Vista. Apart from saving
time this would also provide comparative
- data
(Garub Plain: 900 m above sea level, Aus Mountains:
1,500 m
- above
sea level)
- reserves for catching and training young horses to
sell them to
- suitable
buyers; costs might not be covered by sales. According
to a
- panel of experts the number
of horses should not exceed the
- maximum limit of 200 (see
future)
- a research centre to serve as the pivotal data exchange
for local and
- foreign scientists and
laymen, and as training centre for local tourist
- guides
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Catching operations are expensive:
Boma at Garub to load the horses on trucks (1997). Photo:
Telané Greyling |
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Who has made donations?
(in alphabetical order)
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- Columbia
TriStar Motion Picture Group (horse movie 'Running
Free'
- 2000)
- Deutsch-Namibische
Gesellschaft
- Hippos Nightclub, Oranjemund
- Klein-Aus
Vista
- Namdeb
Diamond Corporation (Pty) Ltd
- Namibia Motor Sport Federation
- Newmarket
Capital Group (movie 'The King is Alive', shot at
- Kolmanskop
- Swakopmund Veterinary Clinic
- Tiras Guest Farm
- Trust & Mining Company (Pty) Ltd
... and numerous private individuals from Germany, Namibia,
South Africa, United Kingdom and the USA.
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Listen closely to hear the heartfelt neighs
of thank you! |
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© 2007 Nature Investments (Pty) Ltd |
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- More pictures at www.namibhorses.com
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