How effective is collaring of elephants at Hwange National Park to prevent human-wildlife conflict?

Gibson Mhaka

DESPITE concerns that the nearing completion of the Lake Gwayi-Shangani could exacerbate human-wildlife conflict in parts of Matabeleland North Province, particularly Hwange and Lupane districts, the collaring of elephants at Hwange National Park is seen as a potential solution to mitigate these conflicts.

Elephants in Hwange National Park were fitted with Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking collars so that nearby villagers can be warned when the jumbos approach and ZimParks can keep track of its large herd.

Once completed, Lake Gwayi-Shangani will become a major water source, likely attracting significant elephant movement. This is crucial to consider, as elephants are known for their dependence on water. Collaring these animals can help mitigate future conflicts.

Several communities living near Hwange National Park’s buffer zones particularly Mabale, Songwa, and Hangano in Ward 17 of Hwange East, have welcomed efforts by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to address the growing human-wildlife conflict in the area.

These communities have previously reported an increase in such conflicts. Hwange National Park, the country’s largest nature reserve, can sustain only 15 000 elephants, but park officials estimate that the population has ballooned to around 55 000.

This forces many elephants to stray into surrounding communities in search of food and water resulting in the loss of lives, livestock, and crops for dozens of villagers and communal farmers. According to Zimparks director Dr Fulton Mangwanya, close to 300 people were killed by wild animals and 308 injured between 2019 and last year as human-wildlife conflict cases continue to rise countrywide.

Elephant collaring enables researchers and conservationists to monitor individual elephant movements, and chart habitat and landscape connectivity within the landscape, providing valuable insights to help mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

This technology allows wildlife professionals to not only track elephant movements, but also determine if an elephant is stationary, injured/sick, or actively moving. By analysing these movements, researchers can predict areas where elephants and farms might come into future conflict.

This information is vital for park management and security, enabling rangers and scouts to respond swiftly to poaching incidents and other human-elephant conflicts.

ZimParks principal ecologist, Ms Daphine Madhlamoto who was part of the research team and operation outlined the goals of the collaring exercise and explained that the exercise was important given the construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam as the game park relies on artificial water sources, elephants may be more likely to venture outside protected areas in search of water.

“So we will be checking these collared elephants online and we will be able to track their movements and identify the resources they utilise outside the game park boundaries.

“This allows us to alert communities when elephants move into communal areas, thereby preventing potential conflicts. Additionally, we can monitor interactions between humans and elephants to gain valuable insights for future management strategies,” said Ms Madhlamoto.

She adds: “This region has a growing elephant population. Since the Hwange National Park relies on artificial water sources and with this increasing elephant population, there’s also a concern about the upcoming Gwayi-Shangani Dam.

“As elephants are highly dependent on water, a permanent lake at Gwayi-Shangani may attract them, leading to more elephants moving outside protected boundaries in search of water. This could significantly increase human-wildlife interactions.”

In ecological terms, elephants are called ‘umbrella species.’ This means that if they use an area or travel within a specific corridor, it’s highly likely that other animals will do the same.

IFAW programme manager for landscape conservation Dr Henry Ndaimani also concurred with Ms Madhlamoto stating their interest in tracking elephant movements, particularly outside the park boundaries.

“We’re studying elephant use in the area northeast of the park due to changing landscapes – human settlements, agriculture, and the Gwayi-Shangani Dam.

“Collaring helps us understand how they utilize this area now and predict changes when the dam is complete. This data can help develop early warnings for communities to protect crops and maintain a balanced ecosystem,” said Dr. Ndaimani.

Ms Madhlamoto and Dr Ndaimani’s explanations make it clear that this collaring exercise will significantly contribute to elephant conservation efforts. This, in turn, fosters a future where humans and wildlife can coexist harmoniously.

After learning about the programme, Philip Ngwenya (57) from Dopota Village expressed hope that the initiative by Zimparks and IFAW will significantly address the long-standing human-wildlife conflict affecting villagers.

“We’re excited about the potential of the elephant collaring programme. It promises to be a major step forward in addressing human-wildlife conflict. Currently, we rely on burning dung and chillies, which isn’t sustainable.

“This programme offers a more effective solution, hopefully leading to a significant reduction in conflict and a boost in crop yields,” said Mr Ngwenya.

Environment and natural resources officer with Hwange Rural District Council (RDC) Mr Nxolelani Ncube said they expect this project to significantly contribute to mitigating human-wildlife conflict, particularly with elephants.

“This is crucial because early detection is key. When elephants move into populated areas, rangers can be alerted and will then herd the animals away from human settlements before they destroy crops or endanger the lives of community members, who might retaliate to protect their livelihoods,” said Mr Ncube.

Meanwhile, Mr Langton Masunda, a farmer and conservationist in the Gwayi Conservancy, acknowledged that while the initiative aims to reduce human-wildlife conflict, national parks like Hwange lack the resources to implement all the necessary strategies to effectively curb it.

“While I support initiatives to reduce human-wildlife conflict,” national parks like Hwange are simply under-resourced.

“They lack the manpower and equipment to effectively implement all the necessary strategies to curb this ongoing problem,” said Mr Masunda.