This study assessed elephant pathway usage in relation to human settlements in the Chobe Enclave region of Botswana. Researchers mapped 52 elephant corridors and recorded 149 elephant groups moving through the areas. The results showed that elephants prefer pathways with the least human interference that provide the most direct routes to water sources. This supports the theory that elephants perceive human activity as risky and aim to avoid large human settlements. The most frequently used corridor was also the most direct path with the lowest human presence. Protecting major elephant corridors could help reduce conflicts between elephants and human activities like agriculture. The study provides data on elephant movement patterns that can inform land use planning and conservation strategies in the region.

1. Human-Elephant Conflict in Chobe Botswana:Human-Elephant Conflict in Chobe Botswana:
Assessing Elephant Pathway Usage in Relation to Human SettlementAssessing Elephant Pathway Usage in Relation to Human Settlement
Taylor Damery1
; Trent Mizulski1
1
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
INTRODUCTION
METHODS AND MATERIALS
CONCLUSIONS
DISCUSSION
RESULTS
REFERENCES
Figure 2. A map of the Barangwe-Kachikau Transect showing cattle posts with blue
markers and corridors colored according to usage. White is no use, green is low use
(1-7 groups), and yellow is medium use (8-14 groups).
ABSTRACT
CONTACTS
Figure 1. A map of the Chobe Ridge Transect showing cattle posts with blue markers
and corridors colored according to usage. White is no use, green is low use (1-7
groups), yellow is medium use (8-14 groups), and red is high use (15+ groups).
Trent Mizulski
University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign
Email: mizulsk2@Illinois.edu
Phone: 618-946-5096
The first to step to reducing
human-wildlife conflict is to
understand why that conflict
exists. In order to gain this
understanding, a study of elephant
movement through the CH1
Concession of the Chobe Enclave,
Botswana was conducted. Elephant
corridors were mapped in Google
Earth according to usage frequency.
The results showed that elephants
use pathways with the least amount
of human resistance most
frequently, supporting the theory
that elephants avoid risk associated
with humans.
o 52 elephant corridors and 149 groups were recorded.
o The activity was 65% for breeding herds, 20% for
bachelor herds, and 15% for lone bulls.
o 3 corridors on the CRT and 6 on the BKT had majority
male use, the rest were breeding herd majority.
o The only high use pathway, with 27 total groups,
occurred on the CRT (Fig. 1).
o Each transect had 2 medium use paths with the rest
being low or no use (Fig1 & Fig. 2).
o Breeding groups held the large majority of activity for
medium and high use corridors (Chart 1).
o Breeding and male groups held a nearly equal
percentage of activity on low use corridors (Chart 1).
Our studies found that the most used corridor had the
most direct and efficient pathway to the river; this pathway
also had the least amount of human interference (Fig. 1).
This finding supports the theory that elephants associate
human activity with risk, and therefore avoid large human
settlements2
. Chart 1 shows that male groups tend to prefer
lower use pathways that go closer to settlements, suggesting
that males are willing to take more risk than female groups.
The protection of major corridors can be an important step
to reducing HEC. This was a short term study, but the results
show it is worth continuing. In the future, this study can be
expanded to asses how the proximity of crop fields to
elephant corridors effect the frequency of crop raiding.
o This study was conducted based on the methods
developed by Anna Songhurst2
.
o An elephant pathway can be identified by lack of
vegetation and presence of elephant spoor and dung.
o Spoor less than 24 hours old were recorded with GPS.
o Pathways within 100 meters of each other were grouped
as one corridor.
o Direction of movement, heard type, and a rough
estimate of individuals were recorded.
o Cattle posts and corridors were mapped in Google Earth.
Human-wildlife conflict is on the rise all over Botswana.
When focusing on HEC conflict, it is vital to understand how
these elephants use the land. Protecting major corridors and
giving elephants the buffer zone they need to reach the
water source safely will not only benefit elephants but
humans as well. Further continuation of this study is needed
in order for the CH1 concession to fully asses and understand
elephant movement.
Human-wildlife conflict is a growing concern for
wildlife management in Botswana. The CH1
concession of the Chobe Enclave is an area of land set
aside by the Botswana government for agriculture,
wildlife, and tourism. The overlap of agriculture and
wildlife increases the human-wildlife conflict,
specifically the human-elephant conflict (HEC).
During the planting seasons, elephants raid crop
fields as they move through the region towards local
water sources. This puts undue-stress on farmers who
rely on these crops for food and income. Elephants are
adversely affected by farmer retaliation and growing
habitat degradation due to the spread of human
agricultural systems.
The Botswana Department of Wildlife and
National Parks has highlighted the importance of
conducting research on elephant movement and HEC1
.
These studies are conducted so the government can
be informed when planning land use, in order to avoid
developing near major elephant corridors. Mitigation
and coexistence strategies are the key to reducing
HEC.
This study is a basis for further research that will
provide crucial information on elephant movement and
corridor usage in relation to the presence of human
settlement throughout the concession.
1.Bourquin, S. & Brooks, C. (2013).
Protocol for the Okavango Wildlife
Monitoring System. Botswana
Department of Wildlife and National
Parks. Chemonics International Inc.
2.Songhurst, A., McCullouch, G. &
Coulson, T. (2015). Finding
pathways to human–elephant
coexistence: a risky business. Oryx,
Page 1-8. Fauna & Flora
International.
Taylor Damery
University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign
Email: tdamery2@Illinois.edu
Phone: 217-433-9207
Chart 1. A bar graph showing the percentage of breeding group and male group
(including bachelor herds and lone bulls) activity on low, medium, and high use
corridors. Breeding group activity is shown in orange and male group activity is
shown in yellow.