Problem Animal Control (PAC) Strategies: Human/Elephant Conflicts in Dande Communal Area, Zimbabwe Presented by Tendai Nancy Nyabadza
Mar 27, 2015
Problem Animal Control (PAC) Strategies:
Human/Elephant Conflicts in Dande Communal Area, Zimbabwe
Presented byTendai Nancy Nyabadza
1.0 Introduction
• Study Background
– Zambezi Valley: historical background and challenges
– Mid-Zambezi Elephant Project/Zimbabwe Trust Project funded by CIDA
Challenges
What are the main points of conflict between humans and elephants?
New Problem Animal Control Strategies being used in combination with traditional methods
Are the new PAC strategies effective for the communal farmer in the valley?
What has been the overall impact of the project on the community?
Objectives
Identify main points of conflict (“hotspots”) between elephants and the Dande community
Determine impact of MZEP/ZimTrust project on the target community in controlling problem elephants.
Project Area: Guruve & Muzarabani, Zimbabwe
Source: Elephant Pepper Development Trust (EPDT). (2004).
3.0 Materials and Methods
Primary Data CollectionQuestionnaire InterviewsFocus Group Discussions
Secondary data collection– Libraries used; ART, CIRAD, SARDC,
ZimTrust, EPDT, IUCN.
Data Analysis– Use of Statistical Package for Social
Scientists (SPSS)
4.0 Results
0
10
20
30
40
50
Frequency
problem animal
Figure 1: Problem Animal
elephant
baboon
bush pig
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Fre
qu
en
cy
%
Bwazi
Chado
peM
user
uka
Chika
faChi
washi
ra
Mas
awi
Village
Fig. 2: Human-elephant Conflict Zones by Village
Fields Gardens Homestead
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Are
a (a
cres
)
Village
Fig. 3: Average Cropping Area Damaged by Elephants
1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 2002-2003
Problem Animal Methods Rankings
Table 1: PAC Methods in use Type of PAC Method
Category of method
PAC Method Freq Rank by use
Traditional methods
Active Noise making¹ 76 % 1
Passive Lighting a fire 36 % 2
Active Throwing fire 35 % 3
Active Fertilizer bombs/gun imitations
18 % 7
Active Catapult 7 % 10
Active Burning tyres 5 % 9
Active Throwing stones 4 % 11
Passive Use of dogs 2 % 12
Modern methods
Active/Passive Burning chilies in dung/chili bombs
35 % 3
Vigilance Clearing buffer zones around fields
27% 5
Active Using bangers 20 % 6
Active Pepper spray 16 % 8
Passive Use of Sisol 2 % 12
Vigilance Fencing around the fields
2 % 12
¹noise making includes beating drums, tins, shouting, and beating on metal objects.
Lessons Learned
Fig. 4: Main Lessons from the Project
PAC methods
51%
Nothing*32%
Growing chilli8%
Gardening7%
Community/ farmer
cooperation2%
* “Nothing” here is constituted 84 % by farmers from the control villages Chikafa and Masawi, who were not in the project at all and 3 farmers who were in the project.
5.0 Conclusions and Recommendations PAC methods using chilli pepper ranked
higher on efficiency than traditional methods but they continue to be used together
Encourage the growing of a Buffer cash crop
Consider compensation for crops or assets lost to elephant crop raiding
Enhance other community benefits from wildlife in areas where HEC is high e.g. CAMPFIRE. This will influence levels of poaching in these areas.
Identify if long term biological or physiological effects of using chilli based repellents on elephants exist
6.0 African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) work on Human Elephant Conflict• Introduced in December 2006 at a training
held at Conservation Lower Zambezi, in Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia.
• This training was done from the 10th to
the 15th of December 2006.
• Representatives of rural farming communities from Rufunsa And Chiawa GMA’s in Zambia and Magoe And Zumbo in Mozambique.
• Game scouts from Tchuma Tchatu and
Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) were also trained.
AWF Zambezi Heartland HEC work
Left: A ZAWA officer, Mr. Jones Katiyo, demonstrating the mixing of chilli with elephant dung
Right: Participants of the PEC training setting up a pilot site in Mugurameno village, Lower Zambezi, Zambia.
The work done has set a precedence in Problem Elephant Control (PEC).
Now used in Zambia and Mozambique by AWF in its core operations landscape, Zambezi Heartland.
Effective mitigation methods will be disseminated to willing farmers in areas where the pilot has proved effective.
With the high level of commitment from the communal farmers, we are optimistic that the intervention will be a success!
7.0 Closing Remarks Based on this project, a paper was published in 2006
www.jsd-africa.com/Jsda/Spring2006PDF
My co-authors were Prof. J. F. Mupangwa (Rwanda), Dr. I. Mberengwa (Ethiopia), and Mr. I. Chaipa (Zimbabwe).
African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) work www.awf.org
Elephant Pepper Development Trust www.elephantpepper.org
Thank You All For Listening