The devastating flooding that occurred earlier this year along the western boundary of Kruger National Park has torn apart elephant movement corridors that have existed for generations, pushing the animals into neighbouring farming communities in search of food. With no way of predicting where they will emerge next, families face the loss of crops and livelihoods, while the elephants themselves face injury, conflict and even death.
Elephants Alive has been working to prevent this escalating conflict. Using satellite tracking, rapid-response Elephant Shepherd teams and community partnerships, the conservation organisation is helping keep both people and elephants safe. And Hot Cares, with the help of their listeners, is supporting them.
After hearing about the crisis from a listener, Hot Cares, the community upliftment initiative of HOT 102.7FM, stepped in with a donation of R79 000 to fund a new satellite tracking collar and the veterinary costs of fitting it. More than simply tracking an elephant, the collar gives conservation teams the early warning they need to intervene before crops are raided, livelihoods are lost or another elephant pays the ultimate price.
For Hot Cares, the decision to help was an easy one.
“When we heard about the incredible work Dr Michelle Henley and her team are doing, we were struck by the fact that this isn’t simply about protecting elephants,” says Lloyd Madurai, Managing Director of HOT 102.7FM. “It’s about protecting families, livelihoods and finding practical, sustainable ways for people and wildlife to coexist. That’s exactly the kind of meaningful, long-term impact Hot Cares exists to support.”
Home to more than 30,000 elephants, Kruger National Park has always depended on a delicate balance between wildlife and the communities living beyond its borders. The recent flooding upset that balance, creating what conservationists describe as a “conflict window” as elephants began venturing into farming areas in search of food.
Rather than simply reacting when conflict occurs, Elephants Alive has spent the past eight years developing a long-term coexistence strategy that combines satellite tracking, rapid-response Elephant Shepherd teams and community partnerships to prevent conflict before it begins. The tracking collar is the critical first step, providing the real-time information needed to keep both elephants and communities safe.
“Understanding how elephants move through these landscapes is the critical first step,” explains Dr Michelle Henley, CEO, co-founder and principal researcher at Elephants Alive. “By providing real-time movement data, the collar allows Elephant Shepherd teams to anticipate where elephants are heading and intervene before crops are damaged or people are placed at risk. It allows us to step in before conflict happens, instead of trying to deal with the consequences afterwards.”
Beyond preventing immediate conflict, every collared elephant also contributes valuable information about how wildlife is adapting to a changing environment, helping shape future conservation and land-use planning.
As Kruger National Park marks its centenary this year, the partnership is a reminder that modern conservation extends well beyond park boundaries. Today, protecting wildlife also means protecting the people who live alongside it.
“We can’t tell you how grateful we are,” says Henley. “This support allows us to take that vital first step towards understanding elephant movements and building lasting coexistence. Thank you to Hot Cares and the HOT 102.7FM listeners for helping us make that possible.”
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Author: Franco D’Onofrio from Twiga Communications on behalf of HOT 102.7FM.
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