Southern Namibia’s vast horizons are stirring with life again. In a landmark moment for conservation, the Orange River-Karoo Conservation Area (ORKCA) has carried out its first wildlife translocation, supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative. The return of springbok, oryx, and ostrich signals the beginning of an ambitious rewilding journey — one poised to become one of the largest ecosystem restoration programmes on the African continent.
The arid region along the Orange River once hosted the planet’s greatest terrestrial migration. Millions of springbok, known as trekbokken, swept across the landscape in numbers that eclipsed even East Africa’s famed wildebeest migration. Over the past century, however, wildlife populations collapsed by 90 per cent, driven by habitat loss, fencing, and the disappearance of elephants, lions, hippos, and hyenas. The last of the great migrations faded, replaced by fragmented farmland and diminishing herds.
A Bold Vision for Conservation
Founded in 2020, ORKCA is redefining conservation through a bold land-purchase model, assembling a continuous protected area that already spans 160 000 hectares. The long-term vision — over the next 15 to 20 years — is to restore more than a million hectares of the Nama and Succulent Karoo. Working closely with local communities and supported by the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, the team has now released its first cohort of wildlife: 10 oryx, 10 springbok, and 10 ostriches.
“You could see that excitement and joy as the first springbok jumped off the truck. That was an iconic moment for ORKCA – a big milestone,” says ORKCA CEO Nabot Mbeeli. “Even the next day, when we tracked the collared animals, you could see the excitement in the team.”
Rebuilding Namibia’s Wilds
Years of preparatory work laid the foundation for this moment. When co-founders Andreia Pawel and Red Barthorp arrived in 2016, the land was “covered in human infrastructure”, its wilderness potential masked by fences and war-era debris. After four years spent clearing the terrain and developing expedition tourism, the pandemic clarified their purpose: large-scale ecological revival. ORKCA emerged as a new conservation model for Namibia — one that removes internal barriers, restores ancient pathways, and maintains inclusive land-use systems alongside commercial farming.
“Animals don’t recognise boundaries at all,” notes Nabot. “They’ve been traversing these landscapes for many years. These boundaries are anthropogenic.”
A Lifelong Rewilding Mission
The ultimate ambition is a transboundary reserve centred on the Orange River, ensuring river access for the Nama indigenous people and reconnecting ecosystems across Namibia and South Africa. Rolex has been integral to the project’s momentum. As Andreia explains, “Rolex has really supported us from the beginning… They’ve supported us in securing land in perpetuity for conservation, in rolling out our scientific research and with wildlife reintroduction.”
Following Namibia’s best rains in a century, conditions are ideal for wildlife to reshape the land through natural grazing, soil regeneration, and ecological recovery. As ORKCA works to secure its northern boundary — paving the way for future predator reintroductions — every movement of the newly released animals is being recorded, building a vital digital map for future decisions.
“ORKCA can be the largest rewilding story in southern Africa,” says Andreia. “It’s a lifelong work, but it’s very much possible to revive the Orange River corridor.”
