Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve Online Reporter
TECH is trumping tusks in Hwange!
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has teamed up with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to collar 16 elephants with GPS-enabled satellite devices in a bold move to stop jumbo-human clashes in communities bordering Hwange National Park.
The high-tech collars are no ordinary bling — they’re connected to the “Earth Ranger” system, a real-time tracking platform that lets rangers monitor the elephants 24/7 as they wander dangerously close to homesteads and farms.
Each collared elephant is a walking radar for a herd of around 10, meaning over 200 jumbo movements can now be tracked and intercepted before damage — or danger — strikes.
ZimParks boss Professor Edson Gandiwa says the project is a game-changer.
“Conservation must be science-driven. With this initiative, we are making informed, data-backed decisions to protect both wildlife and communities,” he declared.
IFAW’s top conservation brain Phillip Kuvawoga added, “The Hwange-Matetsi-Zambezi landscape is crucial for our Room to Roam project. These collars give us the insight we need to reconnect migration routes and keep both animals and humans safe.”
Looks like elephants are going digital — and villagers might just sleep easier!
