Burigi-Chato National Park, established in 2019, is among Tanzania’s newest protected areas. Since its establishment, there has been limited scientific assessment of wildlife populations, particularly elephants. Critical knowledge gaps remain regarding elephant distribution, movement, and behavior. Yet, understanding these aspects is essential for designing effective and sustainable conflict mitigation strategies.
Addressing human-elephant conflicts requires several informed approaches. TRCO is using camera traps to study human elephant dynamics in Burigi-Chato National Park and adjacent village communities. In collaboration with Burigi-Chato National Park, we initiated a camera trap project to monitor elephant activity. The project deployed camera traps in strategic locations to assess elephant distribution and movement patterns, particularly in relation to conflict hotspots near surrounding villages.
As part of this initiative, TRCO conducted community consultations in neighboring villages, including Muungano, Ruhita, Kasulo, Rugese, and Rwakalemela. These discussions focused on villagers’ experiences with human-elephant conflicts, traditional coping strategies, proposed solutions, and crops most affected by elephants. By integrating community perspectives, TRCO aims to design practical, acceptable, and locally-informed mitigation measures.
Field observations highlight the urgent need for:
- Targeted training on effective elephant deterrent methods suitable for the area.
- Raising awareness about elephant behavior and coexistence strategies.
- Promoting sustainable agriculture that reduces vulnerability to elephant damage.
- Safety measures to help communities protect themselves from risks associated with elephant encounters.
We are grateful to all the partners, Danish Zoological Society (DZS), Peace for Conservation, San Diego State University, Ecoexist,the Grumeti Fund, Burigi Chato National Parks, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Village leaders and local stakeholders for their active engagement in sharing their experience on HEC, and every individual effort towards implementing our HEC project in the landscape.
Moving forward, TRCO is committed to strengthening collaborations and welcomes partnerships with organizations and individuals interested in tackling human-elephant conflict in the Burigi-Chato landscape. For support, contributions, or collaboration, please contact us at info@trco.or.tz