According to the Kissama Foundation's 2024 Annual Activity Report, which Lusa had access to, in July last year a helicopter campaign was carried out to count, immobilize and mark sables in the RNIL, a protected area in the country, located in the province of Malanje, which extends slightly to the north of the province of Bié.
The organization stresses that the operation, which had international financial support, was similar to those carried out in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022, “using a helicopter from Namibia and an experienced veterinarian who has been working on the project since 2019”.
“This campaign proved to be highly successful, having achieved the main proposed objectives, in particular the location of all surviving herds in the RNIL and the immobilization of 25 animals (22 giant sable antelopes and three roan antelopes), with the placement of 15 GPS collars and 10 GPS earrings and VHF collars”, the document states.
However, due to the excessively dense vegetation in July, expeditions were carried out in September to supplement the data, using drones to fly over the herds and obtain updated estimates, “also incorporating the data from the July flyovers and the knowledge accumulated on the ground through opportunistic observations”.
“The results thus obtained were enlightening and indicate a total estimate of around 185 antelopes in the RNIL at the end of 2024, which corresponds to an increase of around 20 percent on the last estimate in 2022”, it highlights.
During the period in question, demographic monitoring was also carried out in the Cangandala National Park (PNC), where counts have been carried out more casually and less systematically, since most of these animals are found within a fenced sanctuary and benefit from some protection.
As this is an area of dense woodland and low visibility, it is difficult to obtain an accurate count, the report stresses, stressing that, however, “it was possible to monitor the groups from time to time, and on one particular occasion, a total of 80 sables were counted on a single occasion grazing in an open area”.
“Our current estimate in the PNC points to around 120 sables, with the population probably stagnating due to space constraints, so the expansion of the current fence or even its removal should be considered in the near future”, recommends the organization.
The Giant Sable Antelope Conservation Project is one of the Kissama Foundation's most important projects, not only because of its ecological relevance, but also because of the symbolic value of this species for Angola.
“The giant sable antelope, considered a national icon, is a majestic and unique animal, representing the country's pride and cultural identity”, the organization emphasizes in the document, recalling that it is a “critically endangered” species.
Regarding the Kitabanga Project – Study and Conservation of Sea Turtles, implemented since 2003, with activities on beaches located at 18 sampling points, covering approximately 104 kilometers of the Angolan coast, in all provinces except Cabinda, the report highlights that, at the end of the 2024/2025 season, the figure of more than 5 million neonates sent to sea was reached.
“These points demonstrate the lasting impact of the Kitabanga Project on the preservation of sea turtles and the sustainable development of coastal communities,” he points out.
In financial terms, 2024 was a year of several challenges in terms of raising funds for new activities and projects, but it was possible to obtain, from diverse sources of funding, contributions from national and foreign institutions in the order of 950,000 dollars.
The Kissama Foundation is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of biodiversity, which was created in 1995 and celebrates, this year, its 30th anniversary.
