By Wallace Mawire
Six African savannah elephants have been fitted with GPS-enabled satellite collars in and around Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.
The collaring of three female and three male elephants is part of an ongoing conservation programme that began in early 2024, bringing the total number of elephants collared through the ZimParks-IFAW partnership to 22.
The operation was led by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and funded by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
The collars transmit location data via satellite, enabling conservation teams to track elephant movements, identify areas where human-wildlife conflict may occur, and better understand how elephants use the broader landscape. This information supports the development of early warning systems, the identification of critical wildlife corridors, and informed long-term land-use planning.
“This work demonstrates how science and technology can strengthen conservation efforts,” said Phillip Kuvawoga, IFAW Senior Director for the Landscape Conservation Programme. “Every collar helps us better understand elephant movements and develop practical solutions that reduce conflict and protect this iconic species.”
The project contributes to IFAW’s Room to Roam initiative, a visionary conservation programme working across 320,000 square kilometres of connected habitat in eastern and southern Africa to secure, restore, and reconnect landscapes so that elephants and other wildlife can move freely and safely between habitats. The data generated through this collaring programme will help identify and safeguard the corridors and dispersal areas that are essential to achieving this vision.
“Conservation decisions are strongest when guided by sound scientific evidence,” said Professor Edson Gandiwa, Director General of ZimParks. “Through our partnership with IFAW, this programme is generating valuable information to strengthen elephant management and support coexistence between people and wildlife.”
IFAW is a global non-profit helping animals and people thrive together. They are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans, and in more than 40 countries around the world. They rescue, rehabilitate, and release animals, and restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems they are up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, they match fresh thinking with bold action. They partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organisations, and businesses.
Together, they pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish.
