Our Botswana Students have their own March for Elephants and Rhinos

Wildlife ACT Botswana students based in the Chobe Enclave did a march for Elephants and Rhino of their own recently – 10km through the bush on a guided walk! The group were lucky enough to see several herds of elephants during the walk, one herd consisted of over 100 elephants.

Wildlife ACT is currently assisting the University of Botswana on a Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) study, which has be highlighted as a top research and monitoring priority in Botswana. Elephants, lions and leopards account for 88.5% of the problematic animal control cases recorded.

Botswana Students have their own March for Elephants and Rhinos

Elephants represent a large number of these cases, with over 5500 family and bull groups just in the Chobe Enclave itself. These elephants have to compete for resources with the 5 villages located in the area and pose a big problem to crop farmers.

There is a pressing need for more detailed studies to fully understand the underlying processes of the wildlife crop-raiding situation in HWC hotspot areas in Botswana. The data captured in these detailed studies will allow us to design more effective mitigation strategies and land use plans.

Botswana Students have their own March for Elephants and Rhinos

Wildlife ACT has identified monitoring of the HWC zones, the mitigation strategies employed and the wildlife itself, priority activities within Botswana. Hopefully the data collected will enable us to minimise the conflict and its effects on both wildlife and human populations in Botswana.

Post by Botswana Director Robyn Hartley