Latest news with #AddoElephantNationalPark
The Herald
4 days ago
- General
- The Herald
Addo Elephant National Park meeting jumbo accommodation challenge
Since the establishment of Addo Elephant National Park in 1931 for the protection of the remaining 11 elephants in the area, the population has done extremely well. So much so that it led to a steady enlargement of what is known as the Addo main camp section from 1955 to 2015 to ensure other biological components are not affected by the elephants. The park is now home to more than 800 elephants in various sections and biomes. The largest single expansion included the addition of the Colchester section towards the south of the park in 2010, with the dropping of fences between the sections. The combined main camp/Colchester section is now about 268km² in size (Lombard et al. 2001) and contains several boreholes and earthen dams due to the lack of natural rivers in this section of the park. Addo expanded substantially over time and by 2022 it had seven areas separated by fences, interspersed with private land in some cases. This provided opportunities for elephant range expansion, with the main camp serving as the source for other sections of Addo and externally. For instance, authorities translocated four juveniles from Addo to the Pilanesberg National Park in 1979 (Hancock, 1984) and a further 11 bulls to various private game reserves across SA in 2005. In 2003, 61 elephants were moved from the main camp to the Nyathi section, while four bulls were introduced from Kruger National Park. The Darlington section received 28 elephants from the main camp/Colchester section in 2018. Fencing of the park in 1954 confined the elephants to an area which led to most of the main camp being used by elephants and subsequently resulted in impacts on vegetation structure and sensitive species (Lombard et al. 2001; Kerley & Landman, 2006). To alleviate these impacts, the main camp was expanded into the Colchester section where water provision was limited. However, the main camp/Colchester section was not big enough to significantly change elephant space use and therefore other management interventions to limit population growth, such as elephant contraception and water availability gradient, had to be implemented. Recent studies have shown that historical management approaches have generally not been able to impose spatial and temporal limitations on elephant space use in the main camp/Colchester section (Guldemond et al. 2022). This in turn could lead to impacts on other biodiversity components if management interventions are not continued and by expanding land availability through the consolidation of current sections and the addition of new land to Addo. It is for this reason that the relocation of 42 elephants from the main camp to the Kabouga section (towards the north of Addo), last month was undertaken. From observations of the various family groups since through nine tracking collars, it appears they are exploring and settling well into their new home. As recently as June 3, Addo Elephant National Park biotechnician Joshua Roberts was in the area servicing cameras when he came across the youngest of the lot, aptly named Kabouga, and his herd — all looking healthy and happy. The consolidation of the neighbouring Kabouga and Darlington sections is planned, which will provide the two populations with an even greater area to roam. Charlene Bisset — SANParks regional ecologist The Herald
Russia Today
22-05-2025
- General
- Russia Today
South Africa moves dozens of elephants in conservation milestone
A significant conservation effort has been under way at the Addo Elephant National Park near Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, where 42 elephants were successfully translocated to the newly secured Kabouga section. This move, which is part of the South African National Parks (SANParks) initiative, aims to expand the elephants' range and restore ecological balance in one of the country's most iconic conservation areas. According to the park's Conservation Manager Anban Padayakee, the translocation, conducted between May 12 and 15, was meticulously planned and executed by a team of conservationists, wildlife veterinarians, and logistics specialists. Padayakee said each step was done with attention to animal welfare and ecological integrity. 'The reality of our achievement has not yet set in… it's still such an unbelievable achievement. We were so careful that we had experts from all different fields to make sure the mission was successful. 'The experience was not limited to this operation; we can apply it in the future,' Padayakee said. He said the team moved the animals that consisted of five family groups, with the oldest female elephant aged 52 and the youngest, a male, aged between three to four months old and named after the area they were translocated to. 'That gives you the idea of how complicated it was because we needed to keep the animals stress-free, and the veterinarians did exactly that,' Padayakee said. Park Manager, Roland Januarie, emphasised the importance of this effort saying he had only joined the park a week ago and had found the process of translocating these animals in the middle as it had started last year. 'Addo has a proud record of elephant conservation and maintains a healthy and secure population of one of Africa's most iconic animal species,' Januarie said. Elephants are widely recognised as ecosystem engineers, playing a crucial role in shaping their environments and supporting biodiversity. By expanding their range and establishing new habitats, the translocation stands to contribute to long-term biodiversity health and the reactivation of natural ecosystem functions across the region. The Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa, an initiative of Global Humane Society, provided critical support for the project. Regional Director for Africa, Taryn Gillson, the organisation was proud to support this critical restoration project and help ensure these elephants have the space they need to thrive. 'This is an extraordinary milestone for conservation in Africa. This not only marks the expansion of the elephants' range but also the restoration of ecological processes in a landscape where elephants have been absent for generations,' Gillson said. The translocation is part of a broader conservation vision to repair degraded ecosystems through species-led restoration. By reintroducing elephants to the Kabouga section, SANParks aims to restore ecological balance and promote biodiversity. The newly relocated elephants will be carefully monitored as they settle into their new environment, marking a hopeful step forward for conservation efforts in the Eastern Cape. 'As a leading conservation authority, SANParks is committed to inclusive conservation and advancing policies that support sustainable development and biodiversity conservation,' said Januarie SANParks manages 21 national parks, including three world heritage sites and 10 marine protected areas covering over four million hectares on land and almost 370,000 hectares at sea. First published by IOL
