Narrec does sterling work with aid of private sector

PUPILS from the Oshilulu Combined School in the Oshikoto Region recently rescued a starving, orphaned Secretary Bird.

Via the Ondangwa office of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the bird was sent to the Narrec rehabilitation centre outside Windhoek. Narrec has reciprocated with educational materials to thank the pupils for their support for conservation.This effort, and many other similar scenarios, was made possible through the support of Taeuber and Corssen to Narrec, the Namibia Animal Rehabilitation, Research and Education Centre.In our age of unprecedented human population expansion, global warming and the myriad of other issues affecting the earth’s natural environment, an annual stock-take of the earth’s wild plant and animal species is necessary.Every year scientists produce a ‘Red List’ from that stock-take.The Red List contains all species that are deemed threatened with extinction so that they can receive immediate conservation attention and so that attempts can be made to mitigate the threats to their future survival.This year, 2007, the update of the Red List for birds put 1 221 species on the threatened-with-extinction list.A further 812 bird species were put on a near-threatened list.This gives a figure of more than 22 per cent of the planet’s birds at risk of extinction.There is a clear correlation between human population increase, coupled with the use of natural resources, and the increase in the number of bird (and other) species threatened.Depending on the place and the activities, threats to birds include destruction of or changes in habitat, diminishing food resources, polluted water sources, chemical poisoning from agriculture and mining, the introduction of alien species and illegal trapping, hunting and trading.In order to honestly deal with the ongoing negative forces affecting the natural world, everyone should make an effort to live and utilise given resources as sustainably as possible.Because birds are the most commonly injured, orphaned or poisoned wildlife found by people, Narrec mostly receives birds.Over the years Narrec’s facilities have been developed to accommodate birds of prey.Most species within this group of birds are at the top of their food chains and nearly every environmental issue will affect them.The annual intake fluctuates between 180 and 350 birds.The centre permanently houses about 16 bird of prey species.It also serves an educational purpose – school outings to Narrec enrich the school curriculum and make pupils aware of the need for conservation.Many of Namibia’s environmental issues are comparable to issues experienced by other SADC countries.Examples of the bird families suffering from these extensive area impacts are: birds of prey affected by habitat destruction and agricultural pesticides, parrot species affected by habitat destruction (deforestation) and illegal trapping, cranes and storks affected by agricultural chemicals and seabirds such as penguins affected by diminishing food resources.Taeuber and Corssen has taken the initiative to support other wildlife rehabilitation and conservation projects.In South Africa the Taueber Trust has provided support to the FreeMe KZN Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at the WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) Nature Reserve in Kwazulu-Natal.Also in Natal, the company supports the African Bird of Prey Sanctuary, and Conrad Taeuber is a board member of the Endangered Wildlife Trust.Narrec has reciprocated with educational materials to thank the pupils for their support for conservation.This effort, and many other similar scenarios, was made possible through the support of Taeuber and Corssen to Narrec, the Namibia Animal Rehabilitation, Research and Education Centre.In our age of unprecedented human population expansion, global warming and the myriad of other issues affecting the earth’s natural environment, an annual stock-take of the earth’s wild plant and animal species is necessary.Every year scientists produce a ‘Red List’ from that stock-take.The Red List contains all species that are deemed threatened with extinction so that they can receive immediate conservation attention and so that attempts can be made to mitigate the threats to their future survival.This year, 2007, the update of the Red List for birds put 1 221 species on the threatened-with-extinction list. A further 812 bird species were put on a near-threatened list.This gives a figure of more than 22 per cent of the planet’s birds at risk of extinction.There is a clear correlation between human population increase, coupled with the use of natural resources, and the increase in the number of bird (and other) species threatened.Depending on the place and the activities, threats to birds include destruction of or changes in habitat, diminishing food resources, polluted water sources, chemical poisoning from agriculture and mining, the introduction of alien species and illegal trapping, hunting and trading.In order to honestly deal with the ongoing negative forces affecting the natural world, everyone should make an effort to live and utilise given resources as sustainably as possible.Because birds are the most commonly injured, orphaned or poisoned wildlife found by people, Narrec mostly receives birds.Over the years Narrec’s facilities have been developed to accommodate birds of prey.Most species within this group of birds are at the top of their food chains and nearly every environmental issue will affect them.The annual intake fluctuates between 180 and 350 birds.The centre permanently houses about 16 bird of prey species.It also serves an educational purpose – school outings to Narrec enrich the school curriculum and make pupils aware of the need for conservation.Many of Namibia’s environmental issues are comparable to issues experienced by other SADC countries.Examples of the bird families suffering from these extensive area impacts are: birds of prey affected by habitat destruction and agricultural pesticides, parrot species affected by habitat destruction (deforestation) and illegal trapping, cranes and storks affected by agricultural chemicals and seabirds such as penguins affected by diminishing food resources.Taeuber and Corssen has taken the initiative to support other wildlife rehabilitation and conservation projects.In South Africa the Taueber Trust has provided support to the FreeMe KZN Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre at the WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) Nature Reserve in Kwazulu-Natal.Also in Natal, the company supports the African Bird of Prey Sanctuary, and Conrad Taeuber is a board member of the Endangered Wildlife Trust.