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The Paramountcy of Connectivity in Elephant Conservation

Published January 28, 2024
10 months ago

Recent research undertaken by the Conservation Ecology Research Unit at the University of Pretoria has brought to light the imperative nature of allowing Africa's endangered savannah elephants the space to roam. With as many as 410,000 of these majestic creatures, primarily inhabiting Southern Africa, a study conducted over a 25-year period revealed that a moderate growth rate of 0.16% per annum has kept their numbers steady.


This stabilization, against the backdrop of a global classification of endangerment, signifies not just fortuity but the fruition of effective conservation strategies. However, not all strategies are equal in their efficacy. The study, the broadest of its kind concerning large mammal populations, compares the traditional conservation "fortresses" — isolated areas designed to protect wildlife — to interconnected protected area networks, concluding that the latter is far superior for sustained elephant populations.


Delving into the constraints of fortress conservation, the 1,640km² Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa serves as a pertinent example. Within such confines, elephant herds show initial population booms, necessitating eventual interventions to manage overcrowding, such as translocation or birth control. These fortress parks, albeit effective in controlled growth, face the possibility of overpopulation and consequent environmental degradation.


In contrast, the concept of protecting a network of large core areas, flanked by less-protected buffers, emerges with multiple advantages. This strategic connectivity encompasses core zones strictly safeguarded from human interference, with adjoining buffers, such as community-owned lands, playing the role of ancillary spaces for overflow elephant populations. The dynamic between the secure cores and these peripheral areas allows natural ebb and flow based on environmental conditions, thereby ensuring long-term stability.


The researchers argue that this balance maintains ecological integrity and acknowledges the necessity of considering human-wildlife coexistence. In promoting buffer zones, the approach aligns the conservation goals with socioeconomic benefits for local communities, fostering a partnership in environmental stewardship.


Southern Africa's commitment to conservation is reflected in the 20% of land already designated for protection, a figure surpassing the global benchmark. In light of the lofty goal to secure 30% of the earth as conservation territory by 2030, there's an imperative to not just increase protected areas but to ensure they are connected, curated clusters which encourage stable and sustainable wildlife populations.


The model of interconnected protected areas transcends the benefit of a single species, extending to the broader biodiversity that calls these ecosystems home. In a world facing the unpredictable shifts of climate change, maintaining genetic diversity and allowing species the freedom to move and adapt is critical. Research advocates such as Maré and Guldemond highlight the undercurrent that connectivity in conservation is more than a philosophy; it is becoming the clarion call for safeguarding Africa's wildlife heritage.



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