Research Articles (Earth Sciences)

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Browsing by Subject "African elephants"

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    Spatial monitoring and reporting tool (smart) in mid-Zambezi valley, Zimbabwe: Implementation challenges and practices
    (Wiley Open Access, 2021) Kavhu, Blessing; Mpakairi, Kudzai Shaun
    Biodiversity monitoring and data-management technologies can enhance the protection of persecuted species, such as African elephants (Loxodonta africana), through providing management-relevant information. Implementing these technologies, however, often presents several capacity and resource challenges for field staff in protected areas. In the Mid-Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA) is in the process of adopting the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) as law enforcement and data management tool for adaptive management. With the support of several conservation partners, ZPWMA was able to acquire SMART equipment (computers and handheld cyber-tracker devices) as well as train rangers and officers on how to use SMART in the region.
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    Trends in elephant poaching in the Mid-Zambezi Valley, Zimbabwe: Lessons learnt and future outlook
    (African Journal of Ecology, 2023) Mpakairi, Kudzai Shaun; Ngorima, Patmore; Blessing, Kavhu; Gara, Tawanda Winmore
    Background: The conservation of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) has important ecological, economical, cultural and aesthetic values, at both local and global levels (Pittiglio et al., 2014). Despite the important role elephants play as keystone species, their populations have been dwindling due to human activities (Sibanda et al., 2016). The most serious threats to elephant's survival across most of its range include illegal wildlife trade which has been exacerbated by an increase in organized poaching (Ouko, 2013). Poaching for both meat and ivory is by far the most acute problem across Africa according to data derived from the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) and Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS; WWF, 2017). This is a complex global threat to the survival of the African elephant across most of its range (Dejene et al., 2021; Ouko, 2013; Wittemyer et al., 2014).