Elephants wreak havoc on Khorixas farm
• Elephants steadily running out of space
Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) has identified a range of solutions to reduce conflict between elephants and humans, and regularly holds workshops to teach communities how to protect their property safely.
Leandrea Mouers
Walvis BayA Khorixas farmer says he is at his wits’ end with a herd of elephants wreaking havoc on his farm.
Robert Gomachab shared pictures with Namibian Sun after the elephants tore through his property, destroying fences and a gate, as well as trampling trees.
“This is not the first time this has happened. Previously, there was only one elephant bull in the area, but now there are many,” he said.
He explained that the damage caused by the elephants is putting him under significant financial strain.
“We can’t keep gardens, they get totally destroyed. I have to replace our fences and gates regularly. Planting new trees or plants is not viable, as these too get destroyed.”
He added that he is not the only one suffering in the area.
Christin Winter, a conservation programmes manager of Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA), said they are aware of these conflicts.
“The mentioned villages are located in the !Khoro !Goreb conservancy, which forms part of our project area,” she said.
Out of space
Winter emphasised that human-elephant coexistence is not easy.
“Elephant populations are decreasing and have suffered many losses over the past decade,” she explained.
As numbers decline, herds merge, creating a larger impact when they move together through villages.
“Elephants are steadily running out of space, and with many veld fires, grazing has been lost not only for livestock but also for wildlife,” Winter noted.
“However, we remain as adaptable as possible. Communities need a lot of assistance, because enduring this type of damage constantly is understandably frustrating and frightening. That is why garden protection is a very important next step.”
Early warnings Winter explained that resident herds are collared and live movement updates are fed into EHRA’s early-warning system.
“Each village has a geofence with a 2 km radius from the village centre. As soon as collared elephants cross a geofence, an automatic alert is sent via WhatsApp to us, our community elephant guards, and the relevant chairpersons or conservancy managers,” she explained.
This system serves as a warning so that people can implement safety measures, she added.
“We have also hosted multiple elephant safety education workshops with communities, during which people learn about elephants and how to stay safe while defending their property in safe ways. This includes clapping hands, talking loudly and using flashlights, to mention a few.”
On-the-ground help
She added that community elephant guards work tirelessly to repair damage caused by elephants in the area.
“One of our guards, Nicanor Ortner, was recently at these villages repairing fences and raising awareness. The guards also conduct regular night watches, especially in villages where elders have trouble defending their homesteads. We also currently have another team protecting a water point with a sturdy stone wall.”
Winter explained that solutions to these conflicts are diverse and usually involve a combination of measures.
“As a way forward, we are in close communication with the conservancy chairperson to discuss protecting vegetable gardens with electric fences.”
She said the reasons elephants enter kraals at night are still unclear.
“There are a few triggers. One is fodder left behind for goats, which attracts elephants. Another is guarding dogs that bark and chase elephants, but elephants often charge back at them. When the dogs retreat into the kraal, the elephants follow in hot pursuit.”
To help address the problem, EHRA has started providing villagers with motion-detecting solar lights.
“These can help deter elephants in areas where they are still skittish, since it creates the impression that people are awake at night. Overall, we have distributed more than 500 solar lights in the past two years.”
Walvis BayA Khorixas farmer says he is at his wits’ end with a herd of elephants wreaking havoc on his farm.
Robert Gomachab shared pictures with Namibian Sun after the elephants tore through his property, destroying fences and a gate, as well as trampling trees.
“This is not the first time this has happened. Previously, there was only one elephant bull in the area, but now there are many,” he said.
He explained that the damage caused by the elephants is putting him under significant financial strain.
“We can’t keep gardens, they get totally destroyed. I have to replace our fences and gates regularly. Planting new trees or plants is not viable, as these too get destroyed.”
He added that he is not the only one suffering in the area.
Christin Winter, a conservation programmes manager of Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA), said they are aware of these conflicts.
“The mentioned villages are located in the !Khoro !Goreb conservancy, which forms part of our project area,” she said.
Out of space
Winter emphasised that human-elephant coexistence is not easy.
“Elephant populations are decreasing and have suffered many losses over the past decade,” she explained.
As numbers decline, herds merge, creating a larger impact when they move together through villages.
“Elephants are steadily running out of space, and with many veld fires, grazing has been lost not only for livestock but also for wildlife,” Winter noted.
“However, we remain as adaptable as possible. Communities need a lot of assistance, because enduring this type of damage constantly is understandably frustrating and frightening. That is why garden protection is a very important next step.”
Early warnings Winter explained that resident herds are collared and live movement updates are fed into EHRA’s early-warning system.
“Each village has a geofence with a 2 km radius from the village centre. As soon as collared elephants cross a geofence, an automatic alert is sent via WhatsApp to us, our community elephant guards, and the relevant chairpersons or conservancy managers,” she explained.
This system serves as a warning so that people can implement safety measures, she added.
“We have also hosted multiple elephant safety education workshops with communities, during which people learn about elephants and how to stay safe while defending their property in safe ways. This includes clapping hands, talking loudly and using flashlights, to mention a few.”
On-the-ground help
She added that community elephant guards work tirelessly to repair damage caused by elephants in the area.
“One of our guards, Nicanor Ortner, was recently at these villages repairing fences and raising awareness. The guards also conduct regular night watches, especially in villages where elders have trouble defending their homesteads. We also currently have another team protecting a water point with a sturdy stone wall.”
Winter explained that solutions to these conflicts are diverse and usually involve a combination of measures.
“As a way forward, we are in close communication with the conservancy chairperson to discuss protecting vegetable gardens with electric fences.”
She said the reasons elephants enter kraals at night are still unclear.
“There are a few triggers. One is fodder left behind for goats, which attracts elephants. Another is guarding dogs that bark and chase elephants, but elephants often charge back at them. When the dogs retreat into the kraal, the elephants follow in hot pursuit.”
To help address the problem, EHRA has started providing villagers with motion-detecting solar lights.
“These can help deter elephants in areas where they are still skittish, since it creates the impression that people are awake at night. Overall, we have distributed more than 500 solar lights in the past two years.”
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article