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Elephant census: Kaza, Botswana’s big task

Counting heads: The KAZA region is undertaking the biggest elephant count ever PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES
Counting heads: The KAZA region is undertaking the biggest elephant count ever PIC: THALEFANG CHARLES

One of the world’s largest conservation areas, the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) is preparing for its first-ever aerial elephant census to determine the number of these pachyderms across the southern African plains. The historic count takes place next winter between May and August, writes MQONDISI DUBE

KAZA’s estimated 220,000 elephants have attracted global attention. The majority of these elephants, about 130,000, reside in Botswana with neighbouring Zimbabwe home to an estimated 80,000 of the animals.

The other three KAZA members; Angola, Namibia and Zambia are under-populated. In particular, Angola has seen its numbers dwindle as the elephants fled from civil war and poaching.

Editor's Comment
Depression is real; let's take care of our mental health

It is not uncommon in this part of the world for parents to actually punish their children when they show signs of depression associating it with issues of indiscipline, and as a result, the poor child will be lashed or given some kind of punishment. We have had many suicide cases in the country and sadly some of the cases included children and young adults. We need to start looking into issues of mental health with the seriousness it...

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