Nyae Nyae Human-Elephant Conflict Research Project

The Nyae Nyae Human-Elephant Conflict Research Project was developed to help develop effective strategies to reduce human-elephant conflicts in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy, where the Ju/'hoansi people live. Such conflicts occur with increasing frequency wherever populations of humans and elephants coexist in Africa, and seem to take place particularly in rural areas on the border of protected areas and specifically at waterholes.

For rural Namibians, elephants pose a considerable threat to their livelihoods - as they destroy crops, damage water points and injure or even kill humans. Thus the relationship between elephants and people is becoming a growing conservation concern. In order to alleviate this tension, a thorough understanding and knowledge of elephant behaviour is necessary, as well as understanding of the problem, local cause and effect and attempts to solve it - all this is vital to develop effective management strategies going forward.

The Nyae Nyae Elephant Project, managed by Dr Tammie Matson, aims to gain a fuller understanding of elephant behaviour that takes place at waterholes, by investigating what influences their patterns of activity there, such as sex and herd composition, time of day and season. This project is taking place in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy and Khaudum National Park. Although the general behaviour of elephant has been extensively studied, it has never been fully investigated specifically at waterholes. At the same time, an investigation is taking place that looks at the factors affecting incidences of human-elephant clashes in the region and an evaluation of current measures to ameliorate problems.

The serious damage that elephants cause at waterholes during the dry season is of great concern to the Nyae Nyae community, when large numbers of animals and humans depend on them for water. The vast majority of human-elephant conflicts in Nyae Nyae Conservancy take the form of damage to water installations and herds of several hundred elephants have been observed at a single waterhole during the hot dry season in this area, causing serious pressure at this time of year.

The aim of the project is to identify the behavioural, environmental and anthropogenic factors influencing the occurrence of human-elephant conflicts in Nyae Nyae Conservancy, Namibia as a basis for sustainable development and conservation of elephants.

Objectives:
The underlying motivation for this study is to provide the management of Nyae Nyae Conservancy with recommendations for reducing human-elephant conflicts in future. In order to achieve this, as part of the process of problem identification and solving, the objectives include:
(1) To investigate the behaviour of elephants at waterholes;
(2) To analyse historical records and current incidents of human-elephant conflicts;
(3) To review existing methods of ameliorating these conflicts;
(4) Interview communities in order to determine social perceptions of elephants and conflicts; and
(5) To use the results of this study as the backbone for an environmental education programme in the community.

Tangible Results
The following outputs will be produced by this study:
1. Practical recommendations for the future management of human elephant conflicts in Nyae Nyae Conservancy in the form of a report;
2. A scientific publication on the factors affecting the activities of elephants at waterholes and their implications for management of conflicts;
3. An environmental education programme on human elephant conflicts implemented in the village schools of Nyae Nyae Conservancy;
4. In-depth training for at least two community members (trainers) in the recording of elephant behaviour and the implementation of environmental awareness.