Namibia witnessed a significant decline in elephant poaching and ivory trafficking in 2022, reaching the lowest levels in the past six years, a latest report has revealed.
According to the 2022 National Report on Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement, wildlife crime cases related to elephants accounted for less than 10% of all registered wildlife cases, highlighting the success of Namibia’s efforts in wildlife protection and law enforcement.
However, despite this achievement, the country continues to grapple with the persistent challenge of human-elephant conflict, which poses a more substantial threat to elephant conservation than poaching, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism.
“Since 2016, the presence of national security forces in state parks has reduced poaching impacts significantly. Namibia’s elephant population, currently standing at around 24,000 animals, marks a significant milestone as it reaches its highest level in the past 150 years,” said the Ministry in its 2022 National Report on Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement.
The Ministry’s Report acknowledges the vulnerabilities that still exist.
The elephant population is divided into four partly interconnected sub-populations, each facing its own unique set of challenges.
“The largest sub-population, consisting of approximately 15,000 elephants, resides in the Kavango East and Zambezi regions, extending across the core of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA). These elephants frequently move across national borders, making them susceptible to poaching in Angola, Botswana, Zambia, and Namibia. Although poaching losses in Namibia are currently minimal, the transboundary nature of these elephants increases their vulnerability,” noted the report.
In contrast, the elephants of Khaudum National Park and the adjoining community conservancies in the Kavango East and Otjozondjupa regions have experienced significant population growth.
“Strict protection measures and the provision of permanent water sources have facilitated this positive trend. Fortunately, poaching has not yet impacted this population, thanks to Khaudum’s remote and inaccessible location,” the report stated.
Meanwhile, the elephants of Etosha National Park, one of Namibia’s iconic attractions, have remained relatively stable in recent years.
This population, considered to be at carrying capacity for the park, currently faces no significant threat from ivory poachers.
The calm demeanour of these elephants continues to captivate visitors, contributing to the park’s tourism appeal.
On the other hand, the elephant population residing in the Erongo-Kunene Community Conservation Area faces unique challenges.
“It can be divided into two groups: the desert-adapted elephants that inhabit marginal elephant habitat on the fringes of the Namib Desert, and those roaming the Elephant Highlands above the Great Namibian Escarpment. Limited ivory poaching incidents have occurred in these areas, but the overall population remains unaffected,” the report states.
While elephant poaching has significantly decreased, the Ministry highlights that Namibia grapples with a new challenge – the human-elephant conflict.
Driven by limited land and resources shared between humans and elephants, this conflict poses a more substantial threat to elephant conservation in the country compared to poaching.
“Carrying capacities in most of our elephant ranges have been reached or exceeded, leading to increased interactions and conflicts between elephants and humans,” the report notes.
“The viability of designated wildlife movement corridors, especially in the Zambezi Region, is crucial for the long-term survival of the large elephant population that relies on seasonal migration between Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Angola.”
The Khaudum National Park, in particular, experiences human-elephant conflicts, mainly along its western boundary, where livestock farming and localised cropping encroach upon the park’s borders.
Furthermore, persistent drought in northwestern Namibia exacerbates these conflicts, posing additional challenges to elephant populations, especially in the Elephant Highlands where human and elephant densities are highest.
“Namibia’s achievements in reducing elephant poaching and ivory trafficking reflect the country’s commitment to wildlife protection. However, addressing the pressing issue of human-elephant conflict will require concerted efforts and innovative solutions to ensure the coexistence of humans and elephants in harmony,” said the report.
As Namibia looks ahead, it is crucial to maintain conservation initiatives, strengthen law enforcement, and promote sustainable land-use practices to preserve its rich biodiversity for generations to come.
