WINDHOEK, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing drought in Namibia is severely impacting conservation efforts, leading to increased mortalities and reduced wildlife numbers in the southern regions and western side of the flagship Etosha National Park, an official said Thursday.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Romeo Muyunda, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, revealed that the scarcity of rainfall in the affected regions has resulted in a dire shortage of water and grazing resources for wildlife.

"The ongoing drought has had an impact on conservation, especially in the southern parts of the country and the western side of the flagship Etosha National Park, where there has been minimal to no rainfall," he said.

The country has witnessed some mortalities and reduced wildlife numbers, especially in the south, while Etosha's western area has also faced significant challenges, with mortalities attributed to malnourishment among the animal populace, he said.

"We are currently busy with a survey to determine how many animals have perished because of the drought. From observations, the mortalities are not that many; it is not a crisis, but the impact of the drought is there," he said.

Muyunda noted that concerns regarding grazing were less pressing in the northeasterly and central parks, as rainfall in these areas, while not abundant, was sufficient to ensure satisfactory grazing conditions.

He stressed that efforts are being made to maintain and rehabilitate water points in Etosha National Park to ensure a sufficient water supply. For grazing, however, the ministry usually does not intervene in natural processes, and they will let nature take its course, he said.

The ministry reiterated its commitment to continuous evaluation and adaptive measures to address emerging challenges. Enditem

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