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Keep humans and lions apart

Following a series of recent human wildlife conflict incidents on communal land, impassioned tour guides and tour operators came to alleviate the situation and assist with future conflict mitigation by establishing the ‘Tourism Supporting Conservation (TOSCO) Trust.
The trust was founded earlier this year to legally generate funds and provide a communication platform for conservation in tourism. Tourism expert David Rey said the trust came about after the problems between predators and some communities in the Kunene region. “The increase in tourism especially self drive tours have, most of the time had a negative impact on the area, first because the tourists do not know how to behave in communal areas as they camp everywhere, drive off-road and enter prohibited areas”.
The aim of the trust is not to conserve tourism but to help conservation. Rey also said that the trust is looking to come up with brochures that will be given to self drivers in English, French, Afrikaans, Italian, German and Spanish. The brochures will be distributed to car rental companies and at key points such as service stations in the Kunene Region.
The trust intends to put up signs to mark the boundary of the Skeleton Coast park at the Hoanib river and the Palmwag concession on the way down from Hartmanns valley. It also supports the Desert Lion Project of Dr Flip Sander that tracks all known lions in the Kunene and Erongo regions.

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