The ‘elephant problem’ in some protected areas is controversial, but numbers are no longer the focus of elephant management.
Around campfires, and in the media, the closure of water points, birth control and the destruction of vegetation by elephants have long been hotly debated. Some argue there are too many of them. Yet the conservation aim is neither to cull or feed these icons, nor to nurture their babies. Modern day conservation focuses on the well-being of the land, instead of on populations. Is it possible to maintain ecological processes while providing space for elephants?
To find out more about this holistic approach to elephant management, Wild questioned internationally acknowledged elephant expert Rudi van Aarde, director of the Conservation Ecology Research Unit at the University of Pretoria.
Q. In essence, what is the ‘elephant problem’?
A. Human perceptions. The real problem we face is not elephants, but whether the space assigned to them and other wildlife provides for their needs and will ensure their persistence.
Q. Is a park as large as Kruger, an ecosystem of two million hectares, too small for the number of elephants?
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Esta historia es de la edición Winter 2016 de Wild Magazine.
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Seeds of success
A champion at the indigenous nursery at Skukuza, Meurel Baloyi is on a mission to make all the rest camp gardens in Kruger water-wise.
Six of the best
|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park guarantees visitors a solid serving of adventure, often with a dash of adrenalin on the side. The rugged mountain desert now boasts even more outdoor activities.
Marvellous meerkats of Mata-Mata
Brace yourself to be welcomed suricate-style the next time you pitch camp at this ever-popular spot in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
Who's who?
Even regular park-goers struggle to distinguish a rhebok from a reedbuck. The differences are subtle but significant.
Friends of the fluffball
White-fronted plovers breed in summer – the same time many people take their seaside holiday. A significant decline in their numbers means life is hardly ‘a day at the beach’ for these birds
Festive Karoo
On a Christmas holiday in the Karoo, a keen birder and his family soak up the heat in four Wild Card parks. Their reward included special sightings, endless views and a wilderness feeling.
Love struck
A leopard mating ritual is a rare and thrilling sight. Even more extraordinary to witness an amorous affair involving three members of this elusive Big Five species in Kruger.
Challenge the clock
For centuries Table Mountain National Park has inspired exploration, from hardcore climbing to gentle walks. Now runners and hikers can set a record or push boundaries for a personal best on an epic adventure to the top of 13 peaks.
Loud and clear
Woodland kingfishers are common in most rest camps in the Kruger National Park. Enjoy their evocative call during the summer months.
BEACH MODELS
Rocky shores and sandy beaches are where you’ll find the African black oystercatcher. Summer is breeding season, so look out for nest scrapes close to rocks and kelp.
