Deployment of Human-Elephant Coexistence Toolboxes, Mozambique

This elephant population moves through corridors across human-dominated landscapes and between protected areas that link Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland. In Mozambique, ECF partner Saving the Survivors is working with rural communities to deter elephants from crops and villages using simple ‘HEC toolboxes’. Each toolbox contains high-powered flashlights, firecrackers, rope fence, reflective tape, and airhorns. With the right training these can be used safely and effectively to keep elephants away from crops and food stores, reducing the likelihood of injury or death to humans and elephants. Saving the Survivors are also trialing a novel organic ‘smelly’ elephant deterrent and are monitoring collared elephants to create an early warning system to predict and prevent elephant incursions into community land. After an initial trial phase, a soon to be released second phase of funding will allow expansion of the area of scope further south, following corridors identified using elephant collar data and in collaboration with another ECF partner, Elephants Alive.