Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Ezemvelo) has requested the community around Ndumo Game Reserve (Ndumo GR) in the Northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal to be highly vigilant and immediately report any sighting of elephants in their area to Ezemvelo. If sighted, people must avoid confrontation with elephants and call the authorities.
These elephants, primarily from Mozambique and the other regions around Mpumalanga and Swaziland, are entering South Africa via the international northern boundary of KwaZulu-Natal and Mozambique. The elephants follow a historical migration route between Mpumalanga, Swaziland, Mozambique, and South Africa. Historically, this movement of elephants included Tembe Elephant Park (TEP), which did not generate any concern or risk as Tembe Elephant Park is a suitable elephant habitat, with its perimeter fencing designed to keep elephants within it.
As a departure from the norm, the elephants have recently started to enter South Africa via the northern boundary of Ndumo GR, which is not, as opposed to TEP, a suitable elephants habitat Reserve. Ndumo perimeter fencing was not designed to keep Elephants within it. The consequence of this is that the elephants transverse easily through Ndumo GR and down the south or east of the Reserve into South Africa’s community land, causing damage to property and crops. They also pose a great risk should they come into contact with humans as such contact may have a high probability of severe injury or even death.
Whilst Ezemvelo does undertake monitoring of these elephants to try and prevent them from entering community land, there is always a risk that they may walk out of Ndumo GR into community land. Recently, five (5) elephants walked out the southern boundary into community land and despite efforts to push them back into Ndumo GR, wandered off sixteen (16) km south and became extreme risk to human life and therefore had to be destroyed by Ezemvelo staff in terms of a standing permit issued in accordance with the provision of the National Environment Management Biodiversity Act 10 of 2004.
“Our monitoring work has observed exponential growth of this movement into Ndumo GR in the past seven days, which has triggered a need for a concerted effort together with partners to resolve the matter speedily. To this end, we are currently working with several stakeholders in Mozambique, Mpumalanga, and South Africa, including through consultation with local traditional structures to ensure that this matter is resolved and that these elephants are eventually moved out of Ndumo GR.” Stated Ezemvelo Acting CEO, Mr. Sihle Mkhize,
Given that this migration movement into Ndumo GR is a new phenomenon, a number of steps are being undertaken to manage the situation, including undertaking rapid assessment to establish the actual numbers of the population currently inside the Ndumo GR and to confirm the factors that are influencing this slight diversion from the original migration route to enhance management’s adaptive action to this phenomenon.
“We can confirm that there are still elephants in the Ndumo Game Reserve, and Ezemvelo will do all it can to ensure the safety of both the affected communities and elephants alike. Given the current fluidity of the situation, there is always the risk that they may rapidly move out of Ndumo GR and become a risk to property, crops, and human life.” Mr. Mkhize concluded.
It is worth mentioning that elephant-induced human-wildlife conflict is generally increasing in South Africa. There has been an increase in human-wildlife conflict incidents around Protected Areas such as Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park, Ithala Game Reserve, and Kruger National Park. In some areas, these incidents have become a great risk to human wellbeing such as the case of an escape involving Pongola Private Game Reserve elephants last year, in 2022. In last year’s case, elephants crossed the border between eSwatini and Pongola in South Africa and such incidents highlight what is a broad South African issue that requires critical discussion to explore all the available options in the elephant management toolbox, including sustainable utilisation.
