rESEARCH

2022 has seen an exciting expansion of research activities through technical partnerships, and in particular, Indiana University, have enabled us to really gain a better understanding of the wild elephants of Kafue National Park as we implemented 10 satellite collars for monitoring Behavioural observations and hormone samples (through dung) will be collected for these elephants who are matched for age and sex against orphans, over the next five years to help us understand the impact of trauma on elephant development and condition, which contributes to our greater understanding of the orphan’s ability to recover and ultimate release success. In addition, we have continued to trial Smelly Elephant Repellent with WildAid as a potential human-elephant conflict mitigation tool and expanded our behavioural research into focused ‘Visitor Impact Study’ and ‘Boma Space Use’ that will inform management decisions to further minimise human impact on these elephants destined for release into the wild document their lives throughout their journey back into the wild. At each step our knowledge of the orphans provides insights into elephant biology and behaviour which can be utilised to further support wild populations and expanded into more holistic conservation strategies

WEBSTER MWAANGA Research Coordinator