SCIENTISTS have fitted GPS-enabled satellite collars to eight African savannah elephants roaming the environs of Hwange National Park.
Linked to “Earth Ranger” enabled technology, the elephants will now be monitored round the clock as they traverse heavily populated surrounding communal lands, providing rangers with real-time data needed to prevent and respond to incidents of human-elephant conflict. The 10-day exercise is a joint initiative between International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks).
The project supports efforts by scientists and conservationists in Zimbabwe to use cutting edge technologies to search and generate data to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
Phillip Kuvawoga, senior director of conservation programmes at IFAW, said the initiative also sought to reconnect fragmented habitats and allow wildlife to migrate along their ancient routes.
“With the information set to be generated from the GPS collars, we can now focus our efforts on protecting areas where elephants need to be and developing informed interventions to guide human-wildlife mitigation interventions,” Kuvawoga said in a statement.
ZimParks director-general Edson Gandiwa said the project would support science-based conservation efforts.
“We are confident that this initiative will ensure that conservation decisions are informed by robust scientific data, allowing for more effective protection strategies and fostering a harmonious co-existence between people and nature,” Gandiwa said.
The recent operation brings to 16 the number of elephants collared by IFAW and ZimParks since early 2024.
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This enables conservationists to monitor the interactions of up to 200 elephants, given that each collared elephant typically belongs to a herd of around 10 individuals.
Data generated from the initiative will be critical for IFAW and ZimParks efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
The information will also be valuable to conservationists, policymakers and the community in understanding elephant behaviour and how they use their environment.
