The Weekly Anthropocene: March 1 2023
Dispatches Against Despair, from the Wild, Weird World of Humanity and its Biosphere
Namibia
The lions of the Namib Desert are the only population of lions known to hunt marine prey, eating beach creatures from fur seals to flamingos in Namibia’s vast Skeleton Coast National Park. Now, an innovative conservation program is helping them coexist with human visitors to Torra Bay, a popular campsite within the park. The lions living near the campsite have been fitted with satellite tracking collars (just visible in the photo above), and anytime they cross a virtual “geofence” around Torra Bay, automatic alerts are sent to rangers and campsite managers, who then close the area to visitors. This is a small, local program, but it’s worth noting for its innovative approach to helping humans live alongside large predators: a very “good Anthropocene” model, and an idea worth spreading!
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