Sustainable management of the African elephant – stakeholder solutions to a human-wildlife conflict

Abstract: Densities of African elephants have increased in southern Africa, reaching a population size of 45000 in some protected areas such as Hwange National Park, which is beyond the estimated carrying capacity of 15000. The overpopulation of elephants at Hwange National Park has stimulated considerable debates among stakeholders about the effective and sustainable approach to managing elephants. Thus, sustainable elephant management in Hwange National Park has emerged as a critical issue that requires a multidisciplinary approach. The aim of this thesis is to reveal the primary conflicts of opinion among stakeholders, their underlying causes and achieve a sense of which of the management options, either alone or in combination, might be most acceptable. The objective is to ensure the long-term survival of elephant populations while balancing the needs of both wildlife and human populations. Semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire were used to collect data from different categories of stakeholders. The thematic analysis of interviews and questionnaires highlighted important aspects of the role played or can play in sustainable management of elephants at Hwange National Park such as lobbying for more allocation from CITES, and also give adjacent communities right to derive benefit from these elephants such as equal sharing of meat among stakeholders. Animal rights groups should fund projects such as boreholes for local people. There is also a need for reviewing of wildlife policies so that they suit the current situations. The views of the stakeholders indicate that sustainable management of elephants in Hwange National Park is a complex issue requiring multiple approaches. Researchers, policy makers, community members and other stakeholders must work together to implement effective and sustainable management strategies to ensure the continued survival and wellbeing of elephant populations in the park.