(Posted 16th January 2025)
Courtesy of African Elephants News and Susan Chacko, Down to Earth
The study, led by Michael J Wenborn of Oxford Brookes University, United Kingdom and published in the Journal of Environment & Development on January 7, 2025, underscored the importance of ensuring reliable water access for both humans and elephants.
The researchers observed that upgrading water points have ensured a water supply, reducing the likelihood of elephants damaging infrastructure in search of water.
The study utilised a mix of local ecological knowledge, field observations, and records from six conservancies: Ehi-Rovipuka, Orupupa, Otuzemba, Omatendeka, Ozondundu, and Okangundumba. Data from Event Books — records maintained by community game guards to track wildlife incidents — were also analysed.
The findings revealed no clear long-term increase in incidents involving elephants at water points from 2012 to 2021. However, a spike in conflicts was recorded in 2020 and 2021, attributed to the establishment of more vegetable gardens following the 2018-2019 drought, which had led to significant livestock losses. These gardens, closer to villages, became a hotspot for elephant activity, with communities reporting more damage to crops than to water points.
Despite this, the study noted that incidents at water points often have a greater impact on communities. Damage to pipes and tanks can disrupt water supply for weeks, with repair efforts hampered by costs and logistical challenges in remote villages.
The Namibian government’s initiative to replace diesel pumps with solar-powered systems has helped maintain water availability at holding dams for both people and elephants. This has reduced the likelihood of elephants damaging infrastructure when they sense water in pipes but find empty dams.
Game guards and local communities reported a decline in serious damage to water points, attributing this to upgrades such as the installation of concrete dams and protective walls. The study stressed the urgent need to extend these upgrades to other water points, particularly given the expected increase in water resource competition due to climate change. These upgrades are included in the National Elephant Conservation and Management Plan.
A proposed solution involves building separate water dams for elephants further from villages, reducing the risk of human-elephant interactions at community water points. This approach aligns with Namibia’s National Elephant Conservation and Management Plan.
Elephants in the Northern Highlands
The study found that most incidents occurred in mountainous areas, with fewer in flatter regions such as north-eastern Orupupa and northern Ehi-Rovipuka, despite these areas hosting several villages and water points. This suggests elephants might be moving across these regions from Etosha National Park to access more favourable habitats.
The Community Conservation Programme, implemented since the 1990s, has successfully involved local communities in wildlife conservation. However, the increasing damage to vegetable gardens since 2020 threatens to undermine community support for elephant conservation.
To ensure the sustainability of conservation efforts, the study recommends pilot projects to test protective measures at vegetable gardens and continued investment in water point upgrades. By addressing the challenges of human-elephant conflict, these measures can help balance the needs of wildlife conservation with the livelihoods of Namibia’s rural communities.
