Run by an NGO called Ecoexist, the initiative is collaring elephants in the eastern Okavango pan-handle, part of the delta, to better understand their movements, herd dynamics and feeding patterns in order to find ways of mitigating what it terms human elephant conflict (HEC).
As humans take over more and more of the land where elephants range, the likelihood for conflict between the two groups escalates. HEC poses a growing challenge for wildlife management and the sustainable co-existence between elephants and rural communities.
"Although elephant populations are declining in many parts of Africa, Botswana sustains the largest contiguous, free-roaming elephant population on the continent, estimated at over 200 000 animals," says Adèle Ankiewicz, international spokesperson for the Amarula Trust. "Fewer than one-fifth of these elephants range in protected areas. They are a very important wildlife resource and make a major contribution to the country's tourist industry, so it is essential that strategies are developed to reduce the potential for conflict."
"Although the project is confined to a portion of the Okavango delta, the findings will have far broader application in creating holistic, sustainable solutions, not just for Botswana but for neighbouring countries too."
She says the goal of the project, which is running over five-years, is to identify and fill gaps in current knowledge about elephant numbers and their ranging patterns, especially where they intersect with people. "The idea is to explore the option of creating elephant corridors; to work with farmers in enhancing their food security; and also to create opportunities for people to benefit economically from living close to elephants."
Ecoexist, which is partnering with Texas A&M University in the US, is monitoring elephant populations across three different areas within the Okavango pan-handle and working with 13 villages in the area. Its team of researchers includes a conservation biologist, an ecologist and an anthropologist, as well as post-graduate students and interns from Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks.
Ankiewicz says the plan is to collar 20 elephants over two years, with the Amarula Trust funding the collaring. To date, eight elephants, all male, have been collared.
