lodgingsbutalsotheOngavaResearchCentre(ORC),
astate-of-the-artlaboratorythat’shometoateamof
researchers.Here,scientistsworkoneverythingfrom
mappingtheterritoriesofthepark’selusiveleopardsto
vastprojectsthatwillanalysethehealthofthewhole
ecosystem.There’salsospaceforvisitingacademics—
soonafteropening,theORChostedagroupofhyena
expertsfromtheInternationalUnionfortheConservation
ofNature.
“ORCprovidestheperfectopportunitytoconduct
seriousresearchinanacademicenvironmentwhilebeing
basedinthefield,”saysStéphaniePériquet,anecologist
whorecentlyjoinedtheORCteam.“It’suniqueinNamibia
and,tomyknowledge,aset-upwiththispurposedoesnot
existanywhereelseinsouthernAfrica.”
AnyonestayingatOngavalodgescanvisittheORC’s
interactive visitor centre, which gives a comprehensive
introduction to local flora and fauna, but Anderssons
guestsareofferedamorehands-on,in-depthexperience.
ORCteammembersgiveregulartalksatAnderssonson
theirlatestfindings,andthey’redevelopingasystemthat
allowsvisitorstosubmitphotosandobservationsfrom
gamedrivesdirectlytotheresearchteam,turningsafari-
goersintocitizenscientists.“Guidesandguestsareoutand
aboutinthereserveonadailybasisandcanprovidedata
atascalethatourteamcannotcover,”saysPériquet.
There’snopressuretocontributetoresearchongame
drives.Ifyou’dprefer,youcansitback,relax,andenjoya
traditionalluxurysafariatAnderssons.Butmostguests
getinvolved.“Conservation-orientedtravelisincreasingly
popularwithourclientsfromaroundAsia,”saysJose
Cortes,founderofA2ASafaris.“Conservationismoreand
moreimportanttomillennialsandsubsequentgenerations.
It’salsoabigdrawforNamibia,asalmost 40 percent
of the country is under some form of protection as a
national park, like Etosha, or a private reserve, like Ongava.