Elephants might be the most well-known and well-loved animal in the line-up of African wildlife. But conservation of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) poses special challenges. While the overall elephant population is half of what it was 40 years ago, some regions of Africa have more elephants than populated areas can support. That’s why AWF conservationists are studying elephant behaviors, protecting habitats and finding ways for humans to co-exist peacefully with elephants in Africa.

Years ago, overhunting and the ivory trade were the biggest threats to elephants’ survival. Fortunately, ivory bans, hunting regulations and protected areas safeguard elephants from these pressures today.

The 21st century brings an entirely different challenge to elephant conservation – land-use. Elephants roam over vast territories – across borders and outside parks and other protected areas. Unfortunately, elephants often range directly through human settlements and crops, causing discord between local farmers and these big mammals.

Successful conservation strategies must allow elephants to roam freely in their natural habitats while reducing crop-raiding and other conflicts between elephants and local people, and encourage peaceful co-existence.

AWF is helping elephants thrive by:

• Conducting state-of-the-art research, such as a wildlife census in the Kilimanjaro Heartland.
• Protecting wildlife corridors and other transboundary habitats;
• Working with local communities to develop economic incentives that encourage locals to protect rather than destroy elephants.

In the Kilimanjaro Heartland, the variety of land-use patterns – including parks, subsistence agriculture, and Maasai pastoralism and settlements – means that elephants are coming into more frequent conflict with humans.

AWF researchers are searching for a way to give both elephants and people the space they need. AWF is collecting data on elephant habitats and movement patterns. The information we gather will help us and our partners develop conservation strategies that will give migrating animals in this transboundary area the widest berth possible.

In the Zambezi Heartland, one of Africa’s largest elephant populations roams a vast landscape that crosses national boundaries. The Zambezi landscape, which covers three nations (Mozambique, Zambia or Zimbabwe), contains 18,000+ square miles of viable wildlife habitat, anchored by the Mana Pools and Lower Zambezi National Parks. AWF is committed to securing habitat for the landscape’s shared elephant population and mitigating human-elephant conflict.