Inside the Afri-Leo Foundation: Protecting lions in Namibia
Inside the Afri-Leo Foundation: Protecting lions in Namibia
Learn about efforts to protect lions in Namibia.
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz
Transcript
NARRATOR: Namibia - just a stone's throw from Etosha National Park, the Afri-Leo Foundation is working hard to protect the king of the jungle. The project is the life's work of the Hoth family. The cabins of the Kavita Lion Lodge have been built exclusively with materials found in nature. People from around the world come here for a close encounter with the big cats.
TAMMY HOTH: "A large percentage of tourists that do visit Kavita come here because they are interested in what we are trying to do for the lions, they are genuinely interested in wildlife and many are cat people. So they come here hoping to find as much information as possible and the support that we get from our tourists is essential in the running of Afri-Leo."
NARRATOR: Uwe Hoth makes a daily trip with tourists to an observation point at the lions' feeding grounds so that visitors can see what the animals are like. The pick-up point for the safari is right behind the lodge. At the end of the tour, visitors will witness the king of the jungle in his natural habitat. With so many animals to see en route, getting there is half the fun and Uwe Hoth knows all the best places to go.
Antelopes, buffalos, giraffes - fascinating impressions that the visitors will never forget. Then comes the moment everyone's been waiting for. These lions were born in captivity. Their parents were kept at a zoo in northern Namibia and the young were to be put to sleep before the Hoths saved them.
Now they live in the seclusion of the couple's land - indeed, they'd have no chance of surviving in the wild. The Hoths have to feed them every day to keep them alive, thus providing tourists with a golden opportunity to see them face to face. Nonetheless, people have to behave sensibly even at a safe distance, for the Namibian government has made tourist safety a top priority. Though appearances may suggest otherwise, this is by no means a petting zoo. While the lions are a thorn in the side of many farmers, seeing them at close proximity is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for tourists.
After a day of safari ends, tourists join the Hoths at the Lion Lodge around a customary open fire. It's one place the big cats wouldn't dare to go. Here, tourists reflect on all that they have seen during the day before heading back to the lodge for sweet dreams of wild animals.
TAMMY HOTH: "A large percentage of tourists that do visit Kavita come here because they are interested in what we are trying to do for the lions, they are genuinely interested in wildlife and many are cat people. So they come here hoping to find as much information as possible and the support that we get from our tourists is essential in the running of Afri-Leo."
NARRATOR: Uwe Hoth makes a daily trip with tourists to an observation point at the lions' feeding grounds so that visitors can see what the animals are like. The pick-up point for the safari is right behind the lodge. At the end of the tour, visitors will witness the king of the jungle in his natural habitat. With so many animals to see en route, getting there is half the fun and Uwe Hoth knows all the best places to go.
Antelopes, buffalos, giraffes - fascinating impressions that the visitors will never forget. Then comes the moment everyone's been waiting for. These lions were born in captivity. Their parents were kept at a zoo in northern Namibia and the young were to be put to sleep before the Hoths saved them.
Now they live in the seclusion of the couple's land - indeed, they'd have no chance of surviving in the wild. The Hoths have to feed them every day to keep them alive, thus providing tourists with a golden opportunity to see them face to face. Nonetheless, people have to behave sensibly even at a safe distance, for the Namibian government has made tourist safety a top priority. Though appearances may suggest otherwise, this is by no means a petting zoo. While the lions are a thorn in the side of many farmers, seeing them at close proximity is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for tourists.
After a day of safari ends, tourists join the Hoths at the Lion Lodge around a customary open fire. It's one place the big cats wouldn't dare to go. Here, tourists reflect on all that they have seen during the day before heading back to the lodge for sweet dreams of wild animals.