Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, Victoria Falls Reporter
ZIMBABWE has recorded a sharp rise in human-wildlife conflict (HWC), driven largely by climate-induced environmental pressures, with more than 60 lives lost in 2025 alone, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has revealed.
The authority has noted with deep concern the continued escalation of conflict cases since 2023, a trend directly linked to climate change and intensifying competition for dwindling water and grazing resources.
This alarming increase forms part of a wider regional and global pattern, where shifting weather patterns and habitat degradation are pushing wildlife and humans into closer, more frequent, and often dangerous contact.
According to ZimParks data, reported cases increased from 1 654 in 2024 to 2 090 in 2025, a 26 percent jump.
While response teams attended to over 99 percent of reported cases, the human and economic toll has been severe.
The year 2025 saw 62 fatalities and 81 injuries, up from 49 deaths and 90 injuries the previous year.
Livestock losses more than doubled, from 362 in 2024 to 801 in 2025.
The districts of Kariba, Mbire, Chiredzi, Binga, Hwange, Hurungwe and Nyaminyami have been identified as persistent hotspots.
Data analysis indicates that hyenas, crocodiles and elephants remain the most frequently reported species in these conflicts, often venturing into communal areas in search of sustenance.
“Climate change has fundamentally impacted the dynamics of our ecosystems. Our responsibility is to adapt our management approaches while working closely with Government agencies, conservation partners, and communities to reduce risk and build resilience,” said ZimParks Director-General, Professor Edson Gandiwa.
He said the underlying causes of the crisis are rooted in environmental strain.
“Prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall and rising temperatures have depleted natural water sources and degraded grazing lands,” said Prof Gandiwa.
Simultaneously, both human and wildlife populations are growing, squeezing shared landscapes and resources to a breaking point.
Animals are increasingly compelled to roam beyond protected area boundaries, leading to confrontations with communities competing for the same scarce resources.
In a statement, ZimParks acting public relations manager, Mr Tamirirashe Mudzingwa, emphasised the urgency of the situation.
“These figures underscore the urgency of scaling preventive measures, including early warning systems such as geo-fencing and the establishment of community conservancies,” he said.
“Protecting human life and livelihoods remains our priority while safeguarding Zimbabwe’s treasured wildlife heritage.”
He said ZimParks has identified community-based conservation models as a beacon of hope.
“These conservancies, particularly in high-pressure zones, are proving to be effective and sustainable. They enhance local participation in wildlife monitoring and rapid response, while also creating tangible economic benefits from conservation, thereby aligning community welfare with wildlife protection,” said Mr Mudzingwa.
Ongoing mitigation efforts include awareness campaigns, community livelihood projects, and the deployment of community guardians who act as early alert systems when animals stray into settlements.
Practical interventions supported by ZimParks and its partners include the construction of predator-proof livestock enclosures (kraals and bomas) and the production of chilli bombs—a non-lethal deterrent used to protect crops from elephants.
On the policy front, the recently enacted Parks and Wildlife Amendment Act No.4 of 2025 provides for the establishment of a Human-Wildlife Conflict Relief Fund.
This legislative move is part of the Government’s broader strategy to support affected communities, with implementation details being developed in consultation with stakeholders.
ZimParks has reiterated its steadfast commitment to multi-stakeholder collaboration.
“The Authority remains firmly committed to working closely with communities, other Government agencies, traditional leaders, local authorities, and partners to strengthen conflict mitigation measures and enhance human-wildlife coexistence,” said Mr Mudzingwa.
