WWF Zambia, in collaboration with the Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW), has launched a new campaign aimed at fostering peaceful coexistence between communities and elephants around Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park in Kazungula and Livingstone District.
The initiative, part of the Climate Adaptation and Protected Areas Initiative, seeks to address human-wildlife conflict and promote ecosystem restoration through nature-based solutions, such as the restoration of dry pans, lagoons, and water points.
With a strong focus on inclusivity, the campaign is designed to engage women, youth, and vulnerable groups in both education and conservation activities. This approach ensures that the community benefits from and contributes to sustainable solutions, creating a holistic impact.
At the official launch in Livingstone, WWF Zambia Country Director Nalucha Nganga-Ziba emphasized the importance of the initiative in tackling the growing human-wildlife conflicts in the region, which have been exacerbated by the success of conservation efforts and the impacts of climate change.
“Conservation success sometimes translates into increased encounters between wildlife and humans. Unfortunately, even for Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, these encounters are not always harmonious and require dedicated commitment from all stakeholders to be contained,” Nganga-Ziba stated.
She also highlighted the ecological and economic importance of elephants, underscoring their role in biodiversity and tourism. Nganga-Ziba advocated for strategic actions such as fencing and population management through the development of a new General Management Plan for the park, aiming to mitigate the conflicts.
Minister of Tourism, Honourable Rodney Sikumba, also spoke at the launch, stressing the urgency of addressing human-wildlife conflict in the area.
He attributed the growing tensions to food and water scarcity in the park, compounded by the effects of climate change. Between 2021 and 2024, Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park recorded over 1,600 cases of crop destruction, property damage, livestock loss, and 18 human fatalities due to conflicts with wildlife.
Sikumba pointed out that the scarcity of resources in the park forces elephants and other wildlife to encroach into nearby communities, leading to destructive encounters. “This sometimes results in negative interactions that may lead to destruction,” he noted.
The Minister also called for regional cooperation within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) and urged stakeholders and communities to prioritize sustainable development in managing these challenges.
The campaign is a collaborative effort between WWF Zambia, the DNPW, and local communities, focusing on community-driven conservation and sustainable solutions. One of its main objectives is to raise awareness about coexistence with wildlife, engage the youth in conservation activities, and encourage community ownership of the solutions.
Through these efforts, the initiative aims to build a more sustainable relationship between the people and wildlife in the region, benefiting both local communities and the environment.
