t Conflict between people and elephants in
Africa is widespread yet many solutions target the
symptoms, rather than the underlying causes, of this
conflict. To manage this conflict better the underlying
causes of the problem need to be examined. Here we
examine factors underlying spatial use by elephants and
people along the Okavango Panhandle in Ngamiland,
northern Botswana, to provide ways to address the
causes of the conflict between elephants and people.
We found that (1) elephant spatial use was a function of
season, (2) spatial use did not differ between breeding
herds and bull groups, (3) spatial use by elephants and
people only overlapped significantly at night, during the
dry season, (4) crop raiding by elephants was a function
of season and social grouping, and (5) crop raiding by
elephants had social and economic implications. Based
on these results we suggest measures to manipulate
elephant spatial use to reduce the causes of this conflict.
We also reflect on present compensation measures for
elephant crop damage and advocate that a more direct
performance payment approach may benefit both the
Botswana Government and local farmers.