by Janado Nazare Cher
Gorongosa National Park Conservation Department recently trained around 70 community members from different parts of the park’s Sustainable Development Zone in human-wildlife conflict mitigation and co-existence strategies.
The training, held in response to conflicts where elephants and buffalo damage agricultural fields and cause crop losses, will help families and community members mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. Strategies include using piripiri blocks, ropes treated with creosote oil, and beehive fencing.
They were also trained in how to scare away dangerous animals such as buffalo and elephants and how to protect their agricultural fields. Among the topics added to the training are combating uncontrolled burning, uncontrolled felling of trees and poaching.
These community members will join the 60 others who were trained in 2023 and who are already carrying out their activities in managing and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.