From Park to Pavement: Climate and Encroachment Drive Elephants Into Livingstone

CHALI MULENGA
Livingstone

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) has raised growing concern over the escalating human-wildlife conflict in Livingstone, fuelled by urban encroachment, climate change, and the unique layout of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.

Gertrude Mutale, Regional Extension Officer under the Community-Based Natural Resources Management Unit at DNPW, outlined these challenges during a community engagement session, calling for greater public awareness and cooperation.

Ms Mutale explained that Mosi-oa-Tunya, Zambia’s second smallest national park at just 6 square kilometres, lacks a Game Management Area (GMA)—a designated buffer zone to enable coexistence between wildlife and humans.

“Unlike larger parks such as Kafue, which is surrounded by eight GMAs, Mosi-oa-Tunya is exposed. This absence greatly contributes to the frequency of wildlife straying into human settlements,” she said.

She added that illegal settlements have emerged along the park’s border, further worsening the situation. Communities like Nakatindi and Kashitu lie dangerously close, placing residents directly in the path of wildlife, particularly elephants.

“These elephants don’t just damage crops; they destroy property, kill livestock, and, tragically, have claimed human lives,” Ms Mutale said. She noted that elephants are now being sighted in unexpected areas, including the city centre, Highlands, and along Airport Road.

Climate change has compounded the problem, she added. During the dry season, food becomes scarce in the park, forcing elephants to forage in residential areas.

“They look for mangoes, maize, and any available vegetation. This makes encounters inevitable—and often dangerous.”

Despite these risks, Ms Mutale stressed the importance of wildlife conservation.

“Conservation isn’t only about preserving animals for tourism. It’s about safeguarding a national resource that contributes significantly to Zambia’s economy. Revenue from tourism supports infrastructure, healthcare, education, and community development.”

She said the DNPW is actively addressing the conflict through strategic interventions and continued community engagement.

Meanwhile, the Zambia Law Development Commission (ZLDC) has pledged support for legal reforms to address the growing tensions between communities and wildlife in Livingstone and surrounding areas.

ZLDC Director Hope Chanda revealed that the Wildlife Act is under review and affirmed the commission’s active role in ensuring it reflects the realities on the ground.

“How do councils allocate land? Should the Wildlife Authority have a say in this process, particularly in conflict-prone zones? What legal options should exist when people lose crops, livestock—or lives? These are questions we must urgently address,” she said.

Ms Chanda emphasised the need for communities to benefit from surrounding land and wildlife without compromising environmental sustainability. She also underscored the urgency of preserving biodiversity for future generations.

“We want our children in 2030 to see elephants in the wild—not just in photographs. They should walk among trees and grasslands that bring rain, not just remember them.”

Environmentalist Benjamin Mibenge also urged residents and institutions in Livingstone to rethink their relationship with nature, especially its smallest and often overlooked creatures.

He reminded the public that every Friday is set aside for cleaning in Livingstone, with the last Friday of each month dedicated to joint community efforts led by various institutions.

“When you burn litter in your yard, you don’t realise how much wildlife you’re destroying,” he said. “We often think of elephants and lions when we mention wildlife, but the small creatures are just as vital.”

He highlighted ants, bees, snakes, frogs, and even house lizards as unsung heroes of the ecosystem.

“Ants decompose particles, enriching the soil for grass to grow—grass that elephants need. Bees pollinate plants, helping trees and crops thrive. Snakes regulate rat and frog populations.”

Mibenge lamented the decline in frog populations in Livingstone, particularly during the once-vibrant months of September and October, as a troubling sign of environmental imbalance.

He also raised concerns about poorly planned residential areas, where pit latrines are located too close to boreholes. “In sandy soil, contamination spreads quickly,” he warned. “It’s unsafe.”