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Straddling Southern Africa - The programme's research initiative reaches
across the Southern African distributional range of elephants and the
research team is conducting projects in the Etosha/ Damaraland cluster
(Namibia), the Chobe cluster (Botswana in collaboration with Conservation
International), the Kafue cluster (Zambia), the Limpopo cluster (Kruger
and Cautada 16 straddling South Africa and Mozambique), and the Maputo
cluster (Tembe and Maputo straddling South Africa and Mozambique). In
addition, van Aarde is liaising to get projects in Luangwa financed and
off the ground by the end of 2003.
For each
of these clusters, three projects are conducted.
The first
project is directed at the vital attributes of the elephant populations
themselves, the
second at the interactions between elephants and their environments, and
the third at landscape use, dispersal routes, distances and rates. Much of
the research in the third category is to be interpreted in terms of
spatial analyses based on distance methods such as satellite telemetry and
the analyses of satellite imagery.
Upon arrival the first
job is to assess the elephant’s size and weight so as to determine drug
dosages. While Ian mixed the drug Lea spoke to the Chiawa guests to
allocate responsibilities for the people wishing to assist and to advise
the protocol for behaviour around an immobilised animal.
Once all arrangements
had been made everyone returned to the vehicles except for the darting
team who escorted by the ZAWA officer proceeded to track the elephant on
foot. Unable to catch up in time the team also returned to their vehicle
and proceeded by road. Unfortunately the first dart hit bone, misfired and
it’s expensive contents were lost. Another dart was loaded and the team
continued pursuit only to then be confronted by a breeding herd that were
actively protecting the injured bull.
As the herd
disappeared into the dense woodland the vehicles retreated and circled
around to the Zambezi River in hope that they would come down to water in
the afternoon. 2 hours later with 3 vehicles patiently searching the
riverfront, the snared elephant was again located only this time the
darting exercise was successful.
Once the young bull
was down his snare was removed and the wound attended to by a surgeon who
was on holiday at Chiawa Camp. The whole procedure took no more than 30
minutes when the elephant was given the antidote and soon returned to his
feet. He has been sighted on two occasions since and appears to be
recovering well.
The
programme centres on the integration of all the relevant information
gained through these projects into the development of the mega park
concept. It will address the ecological delineation of the mega park(s)
that will lend optimal protection to a maximum complement of biological
diversity without conflicting with existing conservation priorities and
tourism interests. Because the programme encompasses all transfrontier
conservation initiatives for the elephant and associated species in the
region, it should give rise to a unified conservation management policy
that will benefit the region as an entity.
At the
same time it will develop local and regional capacity in conservation
sciences. Students from several of the Southern African countries are
conducting their post-graduate studies under the auspices of CERU.
There can
be no doubt that these are visionary and revolutionary concepts that sound
idealistic when first encountered. However, Professor van Aarde assures us
that the deeper you get into it and the more you talk to the people who
eventually will have to take the decisions, the more optimistic one
becomes.
In his
words: "We must strive to turn today's dreams into tomorrow's realities".
CLZ were
proud to be part of this megapark initiative.
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