In the important ecological corridor which is the area in southern Tanzania between the Selous game reserve and Nissa national reserve in Mozambique, an ongoing effort is being made to control the conflict between human and elephant life. The area, dominated by Miombo woodlands, interrupted by wetlands and riparian forest is primarily community owned land and supports a large elephant population.
Unique in that the community owned land includes the settlements where 280,000 people live, their agricultural lands and the natural areas which support wildlife, coexistence poses obvious challenges. Damage and destruction to crops by the elephants is common while elephant poaching is on the rise. Retaliatory killing of elephants found trampling crops is also threatening the population.
In an attempt to address the growing severity of the situation a regular patrol of scouts is sent from Nalika, a consortium of 10 villages , to the Ruvuma national park whose main aim it is to stop and arrest poachers and also to attempt to alleviate the problems of elephant damage to local fields. With limited funding but consistent determination 52 scouts go out on ten to thirty day mission patrols. Every day they patrol an area of 30-50km.
Unique in that the community owned land includes the settlements where 280,000 people live, their agricultural lands and the natural areas which support wildlife, coexistence poses obvious challenges. Damage and destruction to crops by the elephants is common while elephant poaching is on the rise. Retaliatory killing of elephants found trampling crops is also threatening the population.
In an attempt to address the growing severity of the situation a regular patrol of scouts is sent from Nalika, a consortium of 10 villages , to the Ruvuma national park whose main aim it is to stop and arrest poachers and also to attempt to alleviate the problems of elephant damage to local fields. With limited funding but consistent determination 52 scouts go out on ten to thirty day mission patrols. Every day they patrol an area of 30-50km.
December 2013