African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 10051631

 

Conflicts between the conservation of wildlife and human activities occur in all habitats and can impact severely upon socio-economic and biological parameters. Babile Elephant Sanctuary which is located it the semi-arid part of eastern Ethiopia is part of the Somali-Masai Centre of Endemism. It is established t protect the only surviving African Elephant population in the Horn of Africa. The sanctuary, shrink in siz and deteriorate in quality. The vegetation of the sanctuary has been used for fuel wood, construction and
other purposes. Grazing, fire and deforestation were intensive, affecting the distribution and conservatio of Elephant in the area. Recently, as a result of mass influx of a large number of farmers and thei livestock from the east and north, the home range of elephants of Babile has shrunk by about 65. percent. Moreover, a recent year 10,000 hectares of the north western part of the land given to a privat company engaged in the cultivation of castor used for production of fuel is being described as a calamit to the already declining elephant population and other wildlife. Of the total land granted to the company 87.4% was proved to fall within the boundary of the Sanctuary, and of this 79.2% were within the presen elephant ranges movement corridors and regular feeding grounds for elephants Recent socio-economic and land use changes in BES such as the demand for more area for agriculture and livestock production have reduced the quality of Elephants habitat. Local communities around the area are highly dependen on vegetations for fencing, medicine, construction and fuel wood.