People and Elephants Coexisting in Northern Botswana

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Nature, Wildlife, Biodiversity, Sustainability, Science & Society

Ed Hessler

People and elephants are sometimes in conflict, especially when population numbers of both are high as in this area of northern Botswana "roughly the size of Yellowstone National Park, (where) 15,000 elephants compete with 15,000 people for access to water, food, and land. 

Getting children to and from schools safely is one of the social challenges. Yellowstone National Park is "63 miles (101 km) north to south, and 54 miles (87 km) west to east by air. Yellowstone is 2,219,789 acres (8,983 km²; 3,468 sq mi) in area."

Northern Botswana is home to the largest population of elephants on the planet with "close to 200,000 elephants (which) roam freely through the region's maze of waterways, forests," reeds and grasslands. 

The purpose of the Exoexist Project "is to support the lives and livelihoods of people who share space with elephants while considering the needs of elephants and their habitats." 

At the website you can read about the project, tour a lovely photographic gallery and find information about current and plannedwork as well as a list of donors, national and international partners and collaborators. There is a teaser for one offering in future. I'll let you find that.