African Elephant Conservation

The main issues facing elephant conservation in the wild are habitat fragmentation and degradation, conflict with people, and illegal hunting. Complex social systems, large groups, and a great need for space and resources can make elephants a challenge to manage in the mosaic of protected, private and community-held lands across Africa.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Cleveland Zoological Society promote elephant conservation on the ground in Africa by supporting projects that:

• Conduct research on elephant ecology and habitat use in order to identify corridors and other areas critical to elephant movement and access to food and water resources throughout the season.


• Focus on areas that can result in competing needs over limited resources, and help communities to prevent and mitigate elephant-human conflicts when they occur.
  
  
• Protect and create corridors, connecting vital habitats and allowing elephants to move freely across the landscape

Corridors and Land Use

Conducting research on elephant habitat use is necessary to identify areas critical to elephant dispersal and migration both within and outside of protected areas. When utilized by governmental and other agencies, this data supports informed decisions about land use, especially surrounding protected areas. Projects are working to protect existing corridors and to create them where necessary so that elephants can move freely across the landscape.

• African Elephant Density, Community Ecology, and Wildlife Management in Southern Africa
  Southern Africa is home to the world's largest population of African elephants. While this natural treasure serves as the basis for a booming tourism industry, the more than 200,000 elephants are also a source of human-wildlife conflict and there is a need to understand the impact of increasing densities of elephants on habitats and species diversity.  A better understanding of the influence of elephants on other species will enable more effective management decisions in an area where biodiversity conservation is essential for economic growth and local livelihoods.
  
  
• Habitat Use of African Elephants in the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania
  In the Serengeti ecosystem of Tanzania, a growing elephant population is expanding outside the protected area and coming into conflict with local agricultural people. This study investigates the movements and habitat use of these elephants to better understand how elephants utilize protected areas and the effects they have on habitats and other wildlife, providing information necessary for effective long-term land use planning.
  
  
• Tarangire Elephant Project, Tanzanias
  The Tarangire National Park is a protected wildlife area in northeastern Tanzania where elephant herds move freely in and out of the park. Researchers began studying the effects of poaching on elephant behavior in Tarangire back in 1993 and this research has produced a vast amount of significant data on the demographics and behavior of the Tarangire elephant population. With both elephant and human populations growing in the area, conflicts between elephants and villagers and competition for resources has become the primary threat to elephant survival. The project also works to protect the migration corridors and critical elephant areas outside the park. Working with local villages and landowners more than 60,000 acres of land in the main elephant dispersal area has been protected through conservation easements with two communities. Wildlife monitoring/scouts and anti-poaching teams serve as deterrents to poachers and alert the National Park anti-poaching units to illegal activity.

Transboundary Parks

Peace Parks Foundation is fulfilling its vision of linking the natural wonders of Africa across international borders through the creation of Peace Parks or Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs). These Peace Parks are "areas or ecological regions that straddle the boundaries of two or more countries, encompassing one or more protected areas as well as multiple resource use areas." The establishment and development of peace parks is a dynamic, multi-faceted approach to jointly manage and promote the conservation of shared wildlife resources across political boundaries. Peace parks support the conservation of biodiversity by promoting co-existence between humans and nature, advancing regional peace and stability, and stimulating job creation through sustainable economic development.  

• Habitat Use of African Elephants in the Serengeti Ecosystem, Tanzania
  In the Serengeti ecosystem of Tanzania, a growing elephant population is expanding outside the protected area and coming into conflict with local agricultural people. This study investigates the movements and habitat use of these elephants to better understand how elephants utilize protected areas and the effects they have on habitats and other wildlife, providing information necessary for effective long-term land use planning.
  
  

Managing Conflicts

In many situations in Africa, elephant and human populations live in close proximity, setting the stage for potential conflict over limited resources like water and food. Looking for ways to keep elephants and people from coming into conflict over resources and working to mitigate those conflicts when they occur is critical to elephant survival and conservation support where elephants live.

• Mitigating Human-Elephant Conflicts in the Kunene and Erongo Regions, Namibia
  In many situations in Africa, elephant and human populations live in close proximity, setting the stage for potential conflict over resources, particularly limited resources such as water. Namibia is one of the only countries in the world that has a growing elephant population. Elephant-human conflict is being addressed in Namibia by Elephant Human Relations Aid. EHRA projects work directly with local communities to decrease elephant-human conflict by protecting wells and other man-made water sources from elephant damage, creating alternate water sources for elephants, and conducting educational programs. By helping people deal directly with the often competing water needs of elephants, humans, and livestock directly addresses conflict prevention and mitigation, and fosters positive elephant-human relationships.
  
  
• Assessing the Effectiveness of Elephant Crop Raiding Deterrents, Uganda
  
There is growing conflict between local people around Kibale National Park and park managers due to crop damage and losses caused by elephants. To mitigate the problem, wildlife managers have promoted trenches as an intervention to reduce crop raiding by elephants. Despite mixed levels of success, there has not been an assessment to determine if the trenches are truly effective in deterring elephants. This study will systematically generate information on elephant crop raiding patterns and trends and investigate the perception of communities towards ownership and maintenance of trenches. Results will help park management design appropriate strategies to address elephant-human conflict, minimize crop loss, enlist support for conservation, and enhance community participation.