Monitoring and conservation of elephant in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Volcanoes National Park (VNP) has a population of elephants that is largely regarded as pests by the neighboring communities. These animals have been little studied, resulting in limited information on their population status and demographics. Their habitat is threatened by encroachment and clearing for human use, leaving a small percentage of their former range for the elephants. Conservation awareness and education activities focused on border communities, farmlands, and primary schools where eco-clubs were set up to encourage the next generation to break the pattern of conflict. Park rangers received training on elephant monitoring and modern data collection techniques, and that data is being used to understand elephant movements and resource usage to better reduce crop-raiding in farmlands adjacent to VNP.

IEF #AF1021

Project Years: 2018 – 2019, 2021

Project Partners:
Rwanda Development Board