Gonarezhou elephant population increases 167%

Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe's second-largest protected area covering 5,053 square kilometres, has recorded a remarkable 167 percent increase in its elephant population, growing from 4,500 to 12,000, officials said. The park, whose name translates to "a home of elephants," falls under the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area.

The announcement was made by Gonarezhou Conservation Trust (GCT) senior area manager Lyoid Nzombane during a National Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) steering committee meeting held in Chiredzi on Tuesday. The committee meets twice a year to review progress, share experiences, and plan future projects across various TFCAs.

Nzombane attributed the population surge largely to enhanced anti-poaching measures, including a significant increase in the number of rangers patrolling the park. "The elephant population at Gonarezhou according to the latest census is now at 12,000, up from around 4,500 previously. Poaching is now a thing of the past at Gonarezhou. We now have 235 full-time rangers compared to the 50 we had before, with two-thirds of them on duty every day," he said.

He also highlighted GCT's efforts to implement community empowerment projects designed to promote co-existence with wildlife and reduce human-wildlife conflicts.

Following the meeting, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) acting public relations manager, Tamirirashe Mudzingwa, said the authority would develop practical strategies to further mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

The increase in the elephant population at Gonarezhou is being hailed as a conservation success and a model for other protected areas in the region.