Collars and Earth Rangers: Helping People and Elephants Coexist in Kasungu

Innovation is reshaping how communities and wildlife coexist in Kasungu National Park, where new technology, backed by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), is helping government rangers track and manage elephant movements in real time.

This follows elephant translocation efforts from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu. In 2022, the Government of Malawi, through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), moved 263 elephants and other wildlife from Liwonde National Park, where elephant numbers had exceeded the park’s capacity, to Kasungu, where the population had declined over recent decades. The initiative aimed at easing ecological pressure in Liwonde while restoring Kasungu’s elephant numbers and biodiversity.

To mitigate potential areas of human-elephant conflict, including damage to crops, property and encounters with local communities, the DNPW in both Malawi and Zambia rolled out an advanced early warning and monitoring system, supported by IFAW. At the centre of this project is Earth Ranger, a real-time data platform that allows rangers to track elephant movements using GPS collars. So far, 25 elephants, (20 female and five male), have been collared to help generate real-time data on their movements.

The Earth Ranger system works through ‘virtual fences’ that trigger SMS alerts when collared elephants approach or cross boundaries. These alerts are sent directly to rangers and DNPW officials, enabling the rapid deployment of response teams before the elephants can cause damage or provoke fear among residents.  

Alongside the tracking system, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been formed at both park and community levels. Equipped with motorbikes and vehicles, Earth Ranger-enabled smart devices, and even firecrackers to deter elephants, these teams act fast to redirect elephants and reassure residents. At the grassroots level, Primary Response Teams (PRTs) in known conflict hotspots have also been trained and equipped to provide the first line of defence.

As the DNPW in Zambia and Malawi continue to work with local communities, they expect the area will continue to see reduced human wildlife conflict and improved coexistence leading to improved food security and safer communities.

According to Patricio Ndadzela, Country Director for Zambia and Malawi at IFAW, “Before, during and after the translocation IFAW has worked alongside its partners to support the governments in a proactive approach to human-elephant conflict which continues to date.”

 Kasungu National Park is not the only area which has seen the successful implementation of new monitoring technology. Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park has also adopted the Earth Ranger system, with 16 elephants, mainly matriarchs, fitted with GPS collars. The project was launched last year by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and IFAW.  Though Hwange’s elephant population remains high, the technology offers a promising model for long-term coexistence.

Across Africa, human-wildlife conflict remains a widespread and pressing issue.  In Zimbabwe, it resulted in 71 fatalities and 50 injuries in 2021 and 68 deaths in 2022.

Kenya faces similarly urgent challenges: between 2020 and 2022, more than 370 people were killed and over 2,040 injured in wildlife-related incidents. Baboons and monkeys are among the leading causes in many areas, especially where communities depend heavily on agriculture and livestock for survival.

In Kilifi, Kenya, food security has been severely affected as elephants frequently forage in nearby farmland in search for food, destroying over 100 acres of maize. The loss has left many farmers grappling with hunger and financial hardship.

However, initiatives like those in Kasungu National Park show that with the right tools and collaboration, peaceful coexistence is possible. As IFAW and its partners continue to support governments to refine these strategies, communities across Malawi, Zambia, and beyond will increasingly see a future where, side by side, both people and elephants can thrive.