ElephanaticsHabitat loss, fragmentation, and ecosystem collapse, have become the biggest threats, along with poaching, to the survival of the African elephant. The main cause of the loss is pressure from human population growth.
Habitat loss
Elephants are increasingly being crowded out of their habitats. Humans are encroaching these lands for farming and infrastructural development, which leaves elephants with small patches of disconnected land.
Habitat Fragmentation
With an increasing human population comes infrastructure development. Roads, railways, piplelines and human settlements can all form barriers to wildlife movements, fragmenting habitats into ever smaller areas. Without corridors to link these islands of habitat, herds can have trouble reaching food and water at certain times of year. They may also be separated from other elephant groups, decreasing their breeding opportunities. This is not healthy for the genetic diversity of the population.
Overgrazing
When grazing goes unchecked, it can quickly eliminate grass in an area. This means less food for both livestock and wildlife, including elephants, and leads to soil erosion that impacts the growth of grass in the future. It is important to identify and allocate grazing land for livestock away from wildlife areas, unless tight controls can be established.
Resoucre Infastructure – Oil Gas Mining
It is proven that the exploration of petroleum has routinely been accompanied by ecological harm, and has often been the pretext for conflicts. The Niger Delta ranks as one of the top ten most polluted places on earth with 5200 wells drilled. There is deep concern over a Canadian company, ReconAfrica, that has rights to exploratory drilling in Namibia and Botswana and the negative ramifications it will have on the environment, wildlife ecosystems, and human rights issues.
Please read our letter to Prime Minister Trudeau asking for intervention from the government to prevent another environmental catastrophe that is bound to occur in the Okavango Delta.
Letter to Justin Trudeau – ReconAfrica – Mar 2021
Ecosystem Collapse
An ecosystem is considered collapsed when its unique biotic (characteristic biota) or abiotic features are lost from all previous occurrences. Ecosystem collapse causes ecological collapse within a system; essentially altering its stability, resilience, and diversity levels.
Solutions for Human-Elephant Coexistence
- Human-Elephant Coexistence Toolbox – The toolbox is designed for trainers, project officers and community leaders to identify the source of conflict with elephants and then guide people on how best to protect their property with the resources available.
