GPS monitoring for elephants in Hwange to reduce human-wildlife conflict

Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) in partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw), has stepped up efforts towards curbing human-wildlife conflict through the use of cutting-edge GPS technology, to track elephant movements around the communities bordering Hwange National Park.

The technology comes in handy, with experts anticipating that the construction and completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, less than 50km east of the Hwange National Park will alter elephants’ movement and curb human-wildlife conflict within the surrounding communities.

The use of this technology is being implemented through an elephant collaring operation, which began on Monday and is expected to run for 15 days. 

Sunday News visited the Hwange National Park on Thursday and witnessed the operation, which is targeting six matriarch elephants and two bull elephants that lead family herds in the communal areas between Hwange National Park, Sikumi and Mzola forest reserves. 

The initiative was, however, affected by a drop in temperatures and light showers that were experienced in Hwange and the surrounding communities, making it a difficult operation for Zimparks and Ifaw authorities as they pursued the elephants. 

Further complications were encountered, when the darted elephant went down before successfully separating it from its herd, as that resulted in the rest of the herd safeguarding the darted elephant.

By fitting collars to the six matriarchs, Zimparks principal ecologist, Ms Daphine Madhlamoto who is part of the research team and operation said they expect to track the movements of more than 60 elephants forming the family herds. 

Simultaneously, the bulls will be monitored for their activities.

“As Zimparks, we have a unit that carries out research and monitoring. As for this exercise, we are targeting about eight elephants, we want to monitor their movements, their space use and inhabitant as well as where they are going. 

“We will also be able to map if there is a possible human-elephant interaction and warn communities early enough,” said Ms Madhlamoto.

Landscape conservation director at Ifaw, Mr Phillip Kuvawoga said the collaring of the elephants was intended to facilitate real-time tracking as they will enable Zimparks and Ifaw authorities, a key conservation partner, to monitor elephant movements in the buffer area around the park. 

He said this would aid conservation and promote a peaceful co-existence between people and wildlife, by mitigating human wildlife conflict in the landscape.

“It is always exciting when you see innovative technological developments change how we work. This elephant collaring project could enhance our conservation efforts and inform future land-use planning in the greater Hwange ecosystem.

“Conservation interventions should be based on sound science and by tracking these animals, we can forecast and map potential human-elephant conflict hotspots, to guide management interventions,” said Mr Kuvawoga.

National Elephant Coordinator at ZimParks, Ms Nobesuthu Ngwenya said recent studies confirm that elephants spend much of their time outside protected areas, risking conflict with humans. 

“Better understanding of their movement patterns will help inform sound long-term management of the elephants,” said Ms Ngwenya.

She said data captured will be analysed, to better understand spatial movement, habitat usage and seasonal migrations over two years, to generate insights into how elephants utilize the human-dominated areas on the periphery of Hwange National Park and its environs. —@nyeve14