Wildlife Watch: Buffaloes Die in Namibia Fires

General Inquiries

africanwildlife@awf.org

Tel:+254 711 063 000

Ngong Road, Karen, P.O. Box 310
00502 Nairobi, Kenya

More than 100 Buffaloes were killed as the result of a raging bush fire that swept through Namibia's Mamili National Park in August.

The cause of the fire is unclear, according to the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The blaze could have resulted from spontaneous combustion or have been ignited by sparks from cooking fires in a nearby village. During the dry season swamp grasses and the underlying layer of peat are highly susceptible to fire.

Despite the high level of losses, said a report in the African Wildlife Update, the Mamili population -- normally 500 to 600 buffalo -- is expected to renew its numbers naturally.