Human-Elephant Conflict in Africa
The African elephant is perhaps the most iconic migratory land mammal on the continent. Catastrophic poaching in the 1970’s and 80’s saw their populations plummet to a mere fraction of pre 1970’s numbers. An effective international ivory trade ban implemented by CITES in 1989 combined with improved wildlife management strategies, has resulted in rising numbers, particularly in East and Southern Africa. However, these elephants are expanding into a world now densely settled by people. Rising incidents of human- elephant conflict are occurring where elephants are exploring old migratory routes and either being blocked by new developments or breaking into farmland plots to take advantage of nutritional agricultural produce.
Elephants tend to crop-raid at night time, and farmers confronting elephants in the dark are often left with no choice but to throw stones and fire crackers or shoot bullets into the air to try to scare them away. This confrontation leads to heightened aggression and some elephants will charge and attack. These negative incidents often lead to terrible injuries or deaths of both people and elephants.
Elephants are herbivores and hence have no reason to attack man unless its in self defense. Females travel in family groups with the young protected and guided by the older females and matriarch. Teenage bulls tend to leave their families and join up with older bull elephants where they learn how to find seasonal water and food.
Elephants are herbivores and hence have no reason to attack man unless its in self defense. Females travel in family groups with the young protected and guided by the older females and matriarch. Teenage bulls tend to leave their families and join up with older bull elephants where they learn how to find seasonal water and food.
As both families and bull elephants migrate through the landscape looking for food and water they will take advantage of any juicy crops they come across. Keeping key migration corridors open and clear of farms and development will reduce the chance of conflict incidents developing.
Crop raided farm
Elephants in our main study site in Kenya, are not confined to national parks and reserves hence interactions with farmers, and specifically crop raiding by elephants, pose serious social, political, economic and conservation problems in Kenya as it does in many other parts of Africa.
Unfortunately both people and elephants are sometimes killed due to conflict over resources. Elephants that are wounded are often very dangerous and can go wild with pain which poses a great threat to anyone in their path. Fatal wounds resulting in the death of an elephant is not only illegal, and should be avoided at all costs, but also causes stress within the family unit. Elephants have long memories and there is some evidence that elephants who have lost a family member due to conflict or culling may become more aggressive to humans in the future.
Unfortunately both people and elephants are sometimes killed due to conflict over resources. Elephants that are wounded are often very dangerous and can go wild with pain which poses a great threat to anyone in their path. Fatal wounds resulting in the death of an elephant is not only illegal, and should be avoided at all costs, but also causes stress within the family unit. Elephants have long memories and there is some evidence that elephants who have lost a family member due to conflict or culling may become more aggressive to humans in the future.
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