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Grassland in Namibia's Sesfontein Conservancy sustains springbok, gemsbok and zebra, as well as domestic cattle, sheep and goats. A prolonged drought has upset the balance in many of Namibia's conservancies.
![An elephant reaches for seed pods at the top of an Ana tree in the Huab River. Some believe elephants in this region are a distinct subspecies of the African bush elephant, but this is not the case. Desert-dwelling elephants were once more widespread in Africa. ©Anton Crone](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/b1844b92-6d67-4c8d-8796-9a14fc4b7c67_rw_1200.jpg?h=fa22b3e476f4f4bf24cd3c28462d78ce)
An elephant reaches for seed pods at the top of an Ana tree in the Huab River. Some believe elephants in this region are a distinct subspecies of the African bush elephant, but this is not the case. Desert-dwelling elephants were once more widespread in Africa. ©Anton Crone
It is believed Torra Conservancy’s situation is aggravated by an over-population of sub-adult males that cannot move into older male territory, so they venture onto local farm land where they prey on livestock. ©Michael Lorentz
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Conservationist Garth Owen-Smith surveys a kraal that effectively prevented livestock being attacked by lions in the Huab River.
![Okahirongo Elephant Lodge in Purros Conservancy. A percentage of the income from tourism goes to the local community.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/14e536f6-487b-4344-8148-926b1fca20b7_rw_1200.jpg?h=99e2aa55583f0d2e83b6204be926b26a)
Okahirongo Elephant Lodge in Purros Conservancy. A percentage of the income from tourism goes to the local community.
![Herero farmer and wife in the general store after a community meeting in Purros Conservancy.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/9355614b-684b-47e7-8ceb-6c042dee4352_rw_1200.jpg?h=48c24343ca1c0106b8ef838a2d973a3d)
Herero farmer and wife in the general store after a community meeting in Purros Conservancy.
![A cheetah hunting trophy mounted at a taxidermist near Windhoek. A percentage of the income from hunting on conservancy land goes to the local community.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/282bb3e6-311f-4260-9a91-e118a538b8ae_rw_1200.jpg?h=2f6c9fa90ede926f24c306f22fc510df)
A cheetah hunting trophy mounted at a taxidermist near Windhoek. A percentage of the income from hunting on conservancy land goes to the local community.
![A record 172 sheep were killed by lions when they entered a kraal in January this year. Image sourced from Informanté Facebook page.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/25843265-f640-41d2-b3df-856558f8672a_rw_1200.jpg?h=f73d542d32e23d55d78b789386ce0f29)
A record 172 sheep were killed by lions when they entered a kraal in January this year. Image sourced from Informanté Facebook page.
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A traditional Himba woman finds shelter in the shade of her hut in Orupembe conservancy.
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A lion surveys the Hoanib River bed. ©Michael Lorentz
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Owen-Smith and Jacobsohn talk with the manager of community run Purros Campsite in Purros Conservancy.
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Remains of a mountain zebra near a spring in Torra Conservancy. One of many victims of the drought, it starved to death, finding water but no food.
![Looking over the relatively lush Hoarusib River valley from a hill in Purros Conservancy.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/cd4a1b55-89b1-47d0-8e71-97b8ad5fb999_rw_1200.jpg?h=b20314c4426101a120e879140ce558bd)
Looking over the relatively lush Hoarusib River valley from a hill in Purros Conservancy.
![Giraffe are a common sight in the Hoanib River Valley.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/a8d62977-1061-4662-802e-798c4e50598e_rw_1200.jpg?h=c19dc9072b88aa29e36fef5ea40e7b20)
Giraffe are a common sight in the Hoanib River Valley.
![A flock of goats is dwarfed by cliffs in the Hoanib River Valley.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/f370018f-c0f6-4279-8c18-c3b81a219e8b_rw_1200.jpg?h=f71ae00c0a77978cce303e976a5acdc5)
A flock of goats is dwarfed by cliffs in the Hoanib River Valley.
![A spring brings sustenance to elephants in the Hoanib River Valley.](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/ebbbaa1f12ac7171b58d374539d1e24f/5b1a818e-d4cb-4de7-b4ca-994f6203ac77_rw_1920.jpg?h=8ce43e63b71c6908543cc6ce3aab4f6d)
A spring brings sustenance to elephants in the Hoanib River Valley.
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Rebecca and Johannes, forced to relocate here to Namibia's arid North West by the South African government in the 1970s.