Pragmatism can tame climate change-induced human-wildlife conflicts

By Cliff Chiduku

Recently, authorities reported that close to 300 people were killed and 308 injured between 2019 and last year as wildlife-human conflicts continue to rise.

According to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), 679 cattle, 11 13 goats and 118 donkeys were killed in the same period.

ZimParks director-general Fulton Mangwanya said the situation looks dire.

“Sixty-seven people were killed in 2022 and the number decreased to 50 in 2023,” he was quoted by the Chronicle.

Human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe is not a new phenomenon, but climate change has over the years exacerbated the problem.

As habitats shrink and resources become scarce, animals such as elephants, lions, and other mammals are increasingly venturing into human settlements in search of food and water. This leads to crop destruction, livestock predation, and sometimes human casualties, prompting retaliatory killings of wildlife by affected communities.

Zimbabwe, like many other African countries, faces significant challenges due to climate change. One of the critical intersections of these challenges is the increasing conflict between humans and wildlife. As climate change alters ecosystems and resource availability, human beings and animal populations are being forced into close contact, often leading to conflicts.

Climate change manifests itself through increased temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and more frequent extreme weather events such as droughts, cyclones, heatwaves and floods. These changes affect human and wildlife populations in varying ways, disrupting traditional ways of life.  

For example, droughts reduce water availability and agricultural productivity, forcing human beings and animals to compete for scarce precious liquid. Over the years, we have heard reports of elephants in the vast Hwange National Park migrating into nearby villages in search of water. These migrations have led to significant crop damage and even human fatalities, as jumbos become more aggressive when stressed by dehydration and hunger.

Similar cases have been observed around the Gonarezhou National Park, where rising temperatures and reduced rainfall have driven wildlife closer to human settlements. Livestock predation by lions and hyenas has become more frequent, leading to loss of livelihoods for villagers.

Most human-wildlife conflicts involve elephants. Such cases are prevalent in the Lovweld and Hwange, where human settlements and agricultural lands overlap with elephant habitats.

Drought, like the one experienced across southern Africa this year, reduces the availability of water and forage, forcing wild animals to seek these resources in human-dominated landscapes.

As humans try to adapt to climate change by expanding agriculture or relocating to new settlements, they usually encroach on wildlife habitats, increasing the likelihood of conflicts.

Crop destruction by wildlife leads to significant financial losses for farmers. For instance, elephant raids can destroy entire fields of maize, a staple crop, leading to food insecurity.

Predation by large carnivores such as lions and hyenas has resulted in the loss of livestock, which remains an asset for most rural communities. Such losses have a negative effect of destabilising rural economies and exacerbating poverty.

As a response to wildlife threats, villagers often resort to killing animals, which is leading to a decline in wildlife populations and disrupt ecological balances.

It is only pragmatism that can tame the growing human-wildlife conflicts, particularly with elephants. Firstly, enhancing and expanding protected areas and wildlife corridors would allow elephants to move freely without encroaching on human settlements. This can be achieved by securing more land for conservation and connecting fragmented habitats.

Secondly, investing in community-based conservation initiatives is crucial. By involving local communities in wildlife management, providing education on coexisting with animals, and offering incentives, such as revenue-sharing from eco-tourism, villagers will have a vested interest in protecting wildlife rather than seeing them as a threat.

Furthermore, implementing advanced monitoring systems using drones and satellite tracking can help predict and mitigate potential conflicts. Such technologies can monitor animal movements and send alerts to communities, allowing them to take preventive measures.

Additionally, there is need for communities that live close to national parks to adopt climate-resilient crops and agricultural practices that can coexist with wildlife. This includes planting crops that are less attractive to elephants, thus reducing the likelihood of crop raids. Through these combined measures, Zimbabwe can create a more harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants, even in the face of climate change.

It is also encouraging that the government has plans to introduce a new hunting quota meant to contain the elephant population as the country battles with increased reports of human-wildlife conflict.

Zimbabwe’s elephant holding capacity is around 45 000, but the jumbo herd has in recent years doubled to over 90 000.

Climate change is worsening the human-wildlife conflict problem in Zimbabwe, and this presents a new challenge that requires concerted efforts. By addressing the root causes of resource scarcity and promoting sustainable co-existence practices, Zimbabwe can mitigate the impacts of climate change on both human and wildlife populations. Through collaborative efforts involving all stakeholders, it is possible to develop resilient systems that support both human development and biodiversity conservation.

Food for thought!

Cliff Chiduku is a communications, public policy and governance expert with interests in climate change, agriculture and environmental issues. He writes in his personal capacity.  Feedback: cchiduku@gmail.com or Call/App +263775716517.