Zimbabwe has an elephant population of 100,000 bur only habitat for 40,000
Not so long ago elephants were under threat and their numbers were dwindling to perilously low levels. Today, thanks to the ban on ivory trading and very effective conservation techniques the elephant has been brought back from the brink.
For some countries though this conservation success has brought its own problems. Zimbabwe are trying to sell some of its elephants to other countries. Because of the cost of capture and transfers there are few takers for the elephants.
Part of the reason for the sale of these wild elephants is the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has to raise its own funds and be self financing – selling wild animals helps it to achieve this. But that’s only a small part for the Authority wanting to sell elephants to other countries.
Too many elephants in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has the ability to house a sustainable elephant population of 40,000 individuals but the current population of elephants has been put at 100,000. The current elephant population is substantially over the carrying capacity of the habitat in the country. This over-population is causing both the elephant and the country problems.
Parks and Wildlife Management Authority director-general Vitalis Chadenga revealed problems that his authority was having in selling elephants when he appeared in front of a parliamentary panel earlier this week. He revealed problems not just with the cost of capturing and transporting elephants but also that CITES procedures had to be followed regarding who the elephants could be sold to.
100 elephants die for lack of water.
The problems of the over-population was highlighted a couple of months ago when 100 elephants died due to drought. There are insufficient artificial water holes in the country to support the numbers of elephants and those that are available are too widely spread.
During Chadenga’s appearance at the panel he also brought attention to the growing problems of resettlement into wildlife areas which are increasing human – animal conflicts. He said that while the parks authority was prepared to become involved in tackling dangerous animals who had left designated wildlife areas the growing resettlement of people into those designated areas was not something that the parks authority could support.
Over 200 poachers arrested in Hwange National Park.
He also disclosed that over 220 poachers had so far been arrested in Hwange National Park this year with 4 others being killed during shoot outs.
Chadenga also disclosed that Zimbabwe’s lion population is not currently under threat and has a healthy population of between 2,500 and 3,000 lions with an expected annual growth rate of over 4%.
Land leases to be increased for wildlife farmers.
The director-general conceded that 25 year land leases given to wildlife farmers may need to be changed as many believe it takes 30 years before wildlife conservancies start to make a profit. While he did not agree that wildlife farmers should have the same type of 99 year leases that crop farmer get he did acknowledge that 50 year leases may be a more viable option.
