Zambia Launches Review of National Elephant Conservation Strategy
Zambia's Ministry of Tourism, through the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), has begun developing a new ten-year Elephant Conservation and Management Strategy covering 2026 to 2036. The review follows the expiry of the previous 2021 - 2025 strategy and brings together DNPW, conservation organisations and key stakeholders to assess past achievements, identify emerging threats and establish a coordinated framework for the decade ahead. Priority areas include elephant population monitoring, habitat protection, anti-poaching and law enforcement, human-elephant conflict mitigation and transboundary conservation.
DNPW Assistant Director Dr Innocent Billy Ng'ombwa stressed that communities living alongside wildlife must be central to the new strategy, noting that sustainable conservation should contribute positively to local livelihoods. Elephants play a significant ecological and economic role in Zambia, attracting visitors to national parks and protected areas and supporting employment and community development through nature-based tourism. Conservation Force President John J. Jackson, who is supporting the review process, underlined the need for strong partnerships between government, conservation organisations, communities and researchers, noting that "no single institution can address the complexities of elephant conservation alone." The Ministry of Tourism described the new strategy as an important investment in both wildlife conservation and the long-term sustainability of Zambia's tourism sector.
Source: Efficacy News
