Six elephants have been fitted with GPS-enabled satellite collars in and around Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, as part of ongoing conservation efforts.
Three female and three male elephants have been collared, bringing the total number fitted with tracking devices through the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) and International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) partnership to 30 since the programme began in early 2024.
The satellite collars transmit location data, allowing conservation teams to monitor elephant movements across the wider landscape. The information will be used to identify potential human-wildlife conflict areas, important wildlife corridors and elephant dispersal areas.
The data will also support the development of early warning systems for human-wildlife conflict and inform longer-term land use and conservation planning.
The collaring is part of IFAW’s Room to Roam initiative, which works across approximately 320 000 square kilometres of connected habitat in eastern and southern Africa. The initiative aims to secure, restore and reconnect landscapes to allow elephants and other wildlife to move safely between habitats.
ZimParks Director General Edson Gandiwa said the programme is generating scientific information to strengthen elephant management and support coexistence between communities and wildlife.
