Namibia auctions wildlife to raise funds for conservation

A South African farmer paid 4 million rands (US$527,000) for eight Namibian black rhinos Friday, as Namibia auctioned five species of rare animals and raised 19 million rands (US$2.5 million) in less than an hour. The government holds such auctions every two years to raise funds that are then used in conserving and managing protected areas, and says this has contributed immensely to improving wildlife populations in the country and beyond. "Our wildlife are proudly making a contribution to wildlife sectors in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, the U.S., Nigeria and other countries as Namibia has become a major player in the wildlife industry, not only through auctions like this, but through targeted donations to sister countries to help revive dwindling populations," said Kalumbi Shangula, a top official in the Ministry of... [read full story]