Home · Science · Oct 5 archive
Rhinos and elephants can cause huge problems if reintroduced badly—here's how to get it right
Confirmed
In Short: These incidents highlight the complexities involved in relocating large, socially complex animals like elephants and rhinos, where the move itself is only part of the challenge.
In 2022, 263 elephants were moved from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu National Park in Malawi, a relocation aimed at addressing overpopulation and underutilization of space.
The move was intended to alleviate pressure on Liwonde's elephant population and provide more room for the animals in Kasungu, which had fewer elephants.
However, the relocation has caused significant issues. Elephants moved beyond designated areas, leading to increased conflict with local communities.
Crops and property were damaged, and there were reports of people being killed, although not all deaths were directly linked to the relocated elephants.
Local communities have alleged that the elephants have caused extensive damage and that they were not adequately consulted or protected during the relocation process.
In Assam, India, concerns over rhino poaching have also risen. Bibhab Talukdar of Aranyak expressed serious concern over the regular deaths of rhinos in supposedly well-protected national parks.
The Assam Environmental NGO Forum held a press conference to address the ongoing issue of rhino killings and other wildlife poaching.
What this adds
The relocation of elephants in Malawi underscores the need for comprehensive planning and community involvement in wildlife conservation efforts.
The situation in Assam highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting rhinos from poaching, despite existing protections.
What's confirmed
- In 2022, 263 elephants were moved from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu National Park in Malawi, a relocation aimed at addressing overpopulation and underutilization of space.
- The move was intended to alleviate pressure on Liwonde's elephant population and provide more room for the animals in Kasungu, which had fewer elephants.
- However, the relocation has caused significant issues. Elephants moved beyond designated areas, leading to increased conflict with local communities.
- Crops and property were damaged, and there were reports of people being killed, although not all deaths were directly linked to the relocated elephants.
- Local communities have alleged that the elephants have caused extensive damage and that they were not adequately consulted or protected during the relocation process.
- In Assam, India, concerns over rhino poaching have also risen. Bibhab Talukdar of Aranyak expressed serious concern over the regular deaths of rhinos in supposedly well-protected national parks.
- The Assam Environmental NGO Forum held a press conference to address the ongoing issue of rhino killings and other wildlife poaching.
What's still developing
- Decades of poaching had severely depleted Kasungu’s elephants, while successful protection in Liwonde had allowed its population to grow.
- The spectacular bit is easy to see: rhinos darted from helicopters were transported in specially designed crates or even carried slung beneath helicopters, a seemingly alarming method that research suggests is physiologically safer than it looks.
- For instance, a study of 682 black rhinos involved in 191 translocations found substantially more deaths in the first year after a move when animals were added to existing rhino populations than when new populations were established.
- But with animals as large, mobile and socially complicated as elephants and rhinos, the move itself can turn out to be the straightforward part.
- With Malawi’s protected areas increasingly isolated from one another, moving elephants from a relatively dense population to a much larger park with relatively few elephants made good sense.
- Whatever the legal outcome, it is clear that getting the elephants through the journey and established in Kasungu is only one measure of success.
- According to her killing of 7 rhinos in just 35 days enough to justify the grave situation in Assam.
- Assam Environmental NGO Forum organised a press meet at Guwahati Press Club on February 13 to clarify its stand on the unabated killing of rhinos and other wild animals in the state.