COMMUNITY OWNED ELEPHANT CO-EXISTENCE CORRIDORS IN SOUTHERN MOZAMBIQUE

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT AN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION EFFORT IN MOZAMBIQUES MAPUTO PROVINCE BY STRENGTHENING ELEPHANT PROTECTION AND BIOLOGICAL MONITORING AND PROMOTING HUMAN-ELEPHANT COEXISTENCE.

LOCATED WITHIN THE GREATER LIMPOPO TRANS FRONTIER CONSERVATION AREA (TFCA) SAVANNA ELEPHANT STRONGHOLD, THIS LANDSCAPE IS HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 47,405 ELEPHANTS.

THIS PROJECT IS INTENDED TO CONSERVE AFRICAN SAVANNA ELEPHANTS AND THEIR HABITAT BY ADDRESSING THE IMPACTS OF HUMAN-ELEPHANT CONFLICT (HEC), HABITAT LOSS, AND POACHING.

SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: (1) DEPLOYING EIGHT NEW ELEPHANT GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) COLLARS AND 140 CAMERA TRAPS TO SUPPORT IMPROVED CORRIDOR PLANNING AND DESIGN (2) SUPPORTING OPERATIONS OF HEC RAPID RESPONSE UNITS (3) CONDUCTING ANNUAL SOCIAL INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HEC AND ELEPHANT CORRIDOR PERCEPTIONS (4) MITIGATING HEC THROUGH INCOME-GENERATING AND NON-INCOME GENERATING SOFT BARRIERS (E.G., BEEHIVE FENCING, UNPALATABLE BUFFER CROPS, SMELLY ELEPHANT REPELLENT, METAL STRIP FENCING, FLASHING LIGHTS, AND CHILI-OIL SOAKED RAG FENCING).