Inter-species Cooperation: Northern Botswana

A collaborative long term elephant and giraffe project has been launched in Northern Botswana. Unveiled in August and managed jointly by Elephants Without Borders , Australia's University of New South Wales and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the project recognises the importance and benefits of cooperation and the pooling of resources and expertise. The launch of this innovative and forward thinking initiative marks the start of the first long-term study of giraffes that has the development of a conservation management policy at its core. This is an essential element given the significant decline in giraffe numbers in recent years. The project will also build on field implementation and trials revolving around human-elephant conflict that are being undertaken on the western side of the Okavango Delta , where the numbers of elephants and their impact have increased over the past decade. This article is available in September issue of Africa Geographic in the ORI Library.