Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary

Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary, N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary or Naankuse Lodge & Wildlife Sanctuary, opened in 2007 and runs a wildlife sanctuary, Carnivore Conservation Research programme, Clever Cubs Pre-School and Lifeline Medical Clinic for the San Bushman community. N/a’an ku sê (Naankuse) is a San Bushman word that means "God will protect us," or "God watches over us." Namibian conservationist, Marlice van Vuuren and her husband Dr Rudie van Vuuren opened the charity in 2007 which is located 42 km outside of Windhoek in Namibia. N/a’an ku sê is totally funded by voluntary donations and relies on the time of volunteers to continue its projects.Travel News Namibia, page 26

Naankuse lodge [1] is part of the N/a’an ku sê Foundation and is based on the 10,000 hectare nature reserve. The Lodge is part of the non-profit charitable organisation so any profits go back into the projects it runs. The lodge provides luxury accommodation in six individual chalets along with a swimming pool and dining room and bar area.

In January 2011, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie chose N/a’an ku sê to become a partner of the Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Foundation, in honour of their Namibian-born daughter. "We have known Rudie and Marlice for many years and continue to be impressed by their hard work and dedication to the people and conservation of the land and wildlife of Namibia. The new section of the project will be under N/a'an ku sê and in Shiloh's name. We want her to be very involved and grow up with the understanding of her country of birth," Jolie said.[2][3]

N/a’an ku sê Carnivore Conservation Tracking & Research Project

N/a’an ku sê started their Carnivore Research Project in early 2008 to help protect and conserve large wild carnivores and reduce human wildlife conflict. Captured cats are fitted with a radio collar before being released back into the wild allowing Naankuse to track their movements, check on their condition and gain a better understanding of their ecology for future conservation. Naankuse also works to relocate proven problem animals (those that prey on farmers cattle) to safer conservation areas and reduce the number needlessly shot or killed. The project is the first of its kind to monitor translocated and released carnivores on a continuous and intensive basis. The Namibian newspaper article, 27 Feb 09 Project aims to:

Sunday Night Documentary about Naankuse

Wildlife sanctuary

The wildlife sanctuary accommodates orphaned and injured animals that cannot be released safely back into the wild including leopards, lions, cheetah, wild dogs and baboons all housed in purpose built enclosures.

Working with the San community

One of N/a’an ku sê’s goals is to improve the lives of the marginalised Bushmen community through providing education, employment, healthcare and improved living conditions. N/a’an ku sê employs a number of San Bushman at their wildlife sanctuary & lodge and aims to create a safe place for them and their families to live. The San are employed in a variety of roles where they can develop skills e.g. as carnivore trackers, chef at the lodge and a variety of farm and hospitality workers.The Namibian newspaper article, 19 June 09 In 2003, Marlice and Rudie van Vuuren along with their pharmacist friend, Christ Heunis and Jan Verburg opened the N/a’an ku sê (Naankuse) Lifeline Clinic at Epukiro, Namibia. This medical outreach project provides free treatment to the local San Bushman community in this remote area. The Lifeline Clinic is entirely funded by voluntary donations and provides primary healthcare to over 3,500 patients a year. The Clever Cubs School, funded by the Clabile Trust, opened in November 2009 to provide free pre-primary education for the San Bushman children on the farm. The school currently has nearly 30 pupils ranging from under 1 to 15 years old. N/a’an ku sê also work to secure places at mainstream schools in Windhoek for the older children. N/a’an ku sê’s work with the San Bushman community is voluntarily funded and relies on donations from supporters and uptake of their sponsor a child scheme to continue. The Namibian newspaper article, 20 Nov 2009

Film and photography portfolio

N/a’an ku sê, its owner Marlice van Vuuren and the animals have featured in a number of documentaries, films and photographs. Naankuse and their three legged cheetah Lucky, featured in an advert for a Volkswagen Golf, shown on South African TV in May 2009.[4]

Documentaries featuring Naankuse have appeared on Sunday Night on Australian Channel 7, [Carte Blanch], National Geographic, New Zealand, Animal Planet and Tippi's Live, Extinction on French TV

Commercials featuring the animals at Naankuse: • Volkswagen Golf Advert (filmed at and around Naankuse featuring Lucky the cheetah, cheetahs, baboons) • Toyota Grand Vitara (filmed in RSA featuring cheetah) • Vodacom (filmed at RSA featuring lions) • Landrover (filmed at Windhoek featuring cheetah) • Chinese internet connection (filmed at Sossusvlei featuring cheetah)

Films featuring the animals at Naankuse: • Beyond Borders - Angelina Jolie (vultures) • Flight of the Phoenix - Dennis Quaid and Giovanni Ribisi • Mr Bones - Leon Shoester • Saltering Desert (Bushman translating) • Hoofbeats (baboons, a cheetah and Bushman translating) • The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (baboons in Botswana) • The Magic Journey to Africa 3D (lion, cheetahs, caracals and baboons) • Bonny and Clyde (cheetah) • Black stallion (cheetah)

Wildlife photographers whose work includes the San Bushman and animals at Naankuse: • Gregory Colbert Ashes and Snow Exhibition • Martin Harvey • Winni Wisniwskhy • Julian Andrews • Werner Bauer • John Bonovige • Petra Mette

References

  1. ↑ N/a’an ku sê Lodge
  2. ↑ D'Zurilla, Christie (January 3, 2011). "Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt donate $2 million to African wildlife sanctuary". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 6, 2015.
  3. ↑ "The Shiloh Jolie-Pitt Foundation". Naankuse Foundation. Archived from the original on March 14, 2011.
  4. ↑ VW Golf ad featuring Naankuse

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