Story by Mhlomuli Ncube
A joint Elephant Monitoring Project between Zimparks and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has been launched in the Hwange National Park, as part of efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict in communities.
The exercise seeks to study the behaviour of jumbos in anticipation of the human-wildlife conflict which might arise upon completion of the Gwayi-Shangani Lake.
Eight jumbos which move in large herds will be collared with monitoring devices for observation.
“We will be observing their movements within this area which is North West of the National Park. It is to understand their movement among people,” said Zimparks’ principal ecologist for Northwest Matabeleland Region, Phine Madhlamoto.
The elephants being monitored are those that usually move around communities.
IFAW Programme Manager for Landscape Conservation, Henry Ndaimani said, “This is to appreciate the relationship between communities and the elephants. We get to understand a lot of dynamics.”
There is consensus that when the Gwayi-Shangani Lake Project is complete, wild animals will change directional course due to the expansion of the water body’s attraction.
