By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Authorities deploy 500 Troops to combat the massive fire in Etosha National Park.
The wildfire has affected approximately 34% of Game reserves according to government officials.
The blaze, which began on September 22, has caused significant ecological damage, threatening the park’s biodiversity and the livelihoods of nearby communities.
Etosha National Park, located in northern Namibia, spans 22,270 square kilometers and is home to 114 mammal species, including the critically endangered black rhinoceros.
The park, a key tourist destination, features the vast Etosha salt pan, which attracts migratory flamingoes during the rainy season.
Strong winds and dry vegetation have fueled the fire’s rapid spread, destroying an estimated 775,163 hectares (1.9 million acres) of the park, including 30% of its grazing land, the environment ministry reported.
The fire, believed to have originated from charcoal production on commercial farms bordering the park, has killed at least nine antelopes, with an unknown number of other wildlife losses, the ministry said. No human casualties have been reported, the presidency noted in a statement.
