At Selati Game Reserve, we recognise the profound importance of elephants, not only as majestic beings but as vital contributors to ecosystem balance and biodiversity. These intelligent and powerful creatures embody the interconnectedness of life, impacting various species and shaping the landscape through their behaviours. We have implemented a proactive approach to effectively manage the elephant population within our fenced reserve, while simultaneously preserving the essential biodiversity of the ecosystem. Through our annual dedicated programme, we employ non-hormonal immuno-contraception as a sustainable solution.
Our immuno-contraception method serves as a humane and ethical means to restrict elephant pregnancies without interfering with their natural behaviours. This approach which slows population growth and allows us to achieve population stabilisation in alignment with the reserve’s biodiversity interests, ensuring a balanced and harmonious coexistence between humans and these magnificent creatures.
By utilising non-hormonal immuno-contraception, we prioritise the preservation of the elephants’ natural environment. We strive to maintain a space that remains authentic and undisturbed, providing the elephants with the freedom to roam and engage in their natural behaviours.
Our annual programme requires a collaborative effort between our dedicated reserve staff, experienced veterinarians, and logistical support. We are proud to partner with the esteemed organisation, the Humane Society International, who provides invaluable support and expertise in this project.
Comprehensive monitoring of the elephant population is crucial, and we achieve this through annual aerial surveys as well as deployment of tracking collars on prominent matriarchs and bulls. This allows for a deeper understanding of their movements and behaviours, contributing to informed conservation efforts. During the collar fitting process, utmost care is taken to ensure the health and safety of the elephants.
As a keystone species, elephants play a crucial role in shaping biodiversity and significantly influence their environment. The relationship between elephant densities and their ecological impact is complex. Experts often advise using the precautionary principle, aiming for an elephant density that does not cause detrimental effects on vegetation and other species although opinions vary on what constitutes an acceptable threshold of impact. When elephants are confined by fences or human settlements, as they are in smaller reserves such as Selati, they use the landscape more intensively, further accelerating vegetation loss.
At Selati, we are dedicated to preserving biodiversity. An overabundance of elephants can rapidly transform woodlands into shrubland and grassland, threatening species that rely on these habitats. In confined areas like Selati, certain bird species, including raptors and vultures, are particularly at risk, as the loss of large trees directly affects their nesting sites.
The SWF will continue to support the immunocontraception programme and would like to thank the Humane Society International for their valuable contributions to the programme.
