GOVT MOVES TO TIGHTEN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION POLICIES

GOVERNMENT is moving to strengthen wildlife laws and policies to ensure sustainable elephant conservation amid rising populations and growing human-wildlife conflict.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Mr Tanyaradzwa Mundonga, said the country was finalising the revised Wildlife Policy and Parks and Wildlife Amendment Act, which will guide conservation efforts under the National Development Strategy 2.

Speaking at “The Elephant in the Room” conference in Harare, organised by ZimParks and the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) in partnership with the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust (GCT), Mr Mundonga said research from Gonarezhou National Park was shaping future conservation strategies.

“Gonarezhou is a living laboratory where over 10 000 elephants are a daily reality,” he said.

“The research conducted there provides the evidence needed for policy decisions, particularly in addressing human-elephant conflict and managing cross-border populations.”

He said partnerships between the Government and conservation organisations were essential for sustainable management.

“The success of the Gonarezhou Conservation Trust shows that collaboration is not only beneficial but necessary,” he said.

ZimParks Director-General Professor Edson Gandiwa said Gonarezhou’s elephant population posed both ecological and social challenges.

“We must balance species protection with community livelihoods,” Professor Gandiwa said.

“The lessons from Gonarezhou will inform our new national Elephant Management Plan, which is under review.”

He said the conference aimed to develop practical strategies for managing elephant populations while promoting coexistence between wildlife and communities.

Zimbabwe is home to more than 100 000 elephants, one of the largest populations in Africa, concentrated in Hwange and Gonarezhou National Parks.

The two-day conference drew delegates from southern Africa to discuss sustainable conservation and regional collaboration.

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