Elephants Rhinos & People

THE PRESERVATION AND PROTECTION OF ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS IN THE WILD THROUGH POVERTY ALLEVIATION. SEE SCHEDULE O, STATEMENT .05 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

ERP RECENTLY ESTABLISHED ERP NAMIBIA TO EXPAND ERPS ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF SOUTH AFRICA. TASKED WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT AND THE RUNNING THEREOF IS TINUS HANSEN, A HIGHLY-EXPERIENCED LOCAL CONSERVATIONIST. AS PART OF THIS NEW INITIATIVE ERP AIMS TO MINIMIADDRESS THE LOSS OR HARM OF ELEPHANT POPULATIONS THROUGH HUNTING, TRADE, HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT, DESERTIFICATION AND LOSS OF HABITAT;PROTECT AND GROW BLACK RHINO POPULATIONS THROUGH SUPPORT OF EXISTING, OR ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW ANTI-POACHING UNITS, PARTICIPATION IN AND ENABLEMENT OF NAMIBIA CUSTODIAN PROGRAMS, AND THROUGH THE PROVISION OF NEW SAFE HAVENS FOR POPULATION AND GENE POOL DEVELOPMENT; AND WORK WITH LOCAL RURAL COMMUNITIES WITH A VIEW TO ACHIEVING MEANINGFUL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND MITIGATION OF HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT.

ERP NOW OPERATES AT THE MABALINGWE NATURE RESERVE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN SOUTH AFRICAS SMALLER RESERVES IS TOO MANY ELEPHANTS. IT MAY SEEM COUNTERINTUITIVE WHEN WE HEAR DAILY OF ELEPHANTS THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION, BUT IT IS THE SAD REALITY IN MANY RESERVES HERE IN SA. 10,000 HECTARES MAY SOUND BIG WITH VAST OPEN PLAINS AND DENSELY WOODED AREAS. BUT IT IS TOO SMALL TO HAVE ELEPHANTS ON OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT AREA IS FENCED-IN, AND NATURAL MOVEMENTS ARE RESTRICTED. THIS IS ALSO THE CASE AT MABALINGWE NATURE RESERVE IN LIMPOPO PROVINCE WHERE ERP RECENTLY STARTED OPERATIONS.ERP WAS CONTACTED BY THE CONCERNED RESERVE MANAGEMENT. THEIR PLIGHT IS ALSO SADLY BECOMING MORE COMMON. THEY HAVE TOO MANY ELEPHANTS, AND NOW A GROUP OF FIVE YOUNG BULLS SEEM TO HAVE REACHED AN AGE WHERE THEY ARE TESTING THEIR STRENGTH AND CUNNING WAYS AGAINST THE RESERVES INFRASTRUCTURE. WATER TANKS SEEMS TO BE A FAVOURITE PASTIME OCCUPATION. THEY HAVE BEEN DEEMED PROBLEMATIC BY MANAGEMENT.WE HAVE ENTERED AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM AND HAVE EMPLOYED AN ERP ELEPHANT MONITOR, JOSH FROST, TO THE RESERVE. JOSH IS THERE NOW, TRACKING AND MONITORING THE ELEPHANTS EVERY DAY, AND FINDING OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND. EARLY NEXT MONTH, WE WILL DEPLOY SATELLITE COLLARS ON SOME OF THE YOUNGER BULLS. THESE COLLARS WILL HELP US MONITOR THEIR MOVEMENTS 24/7, DETERMINE THEIR FAVOURITE AREAS AND DETERMINE WHO IS CAUSING TROUBLE. WE WILL BE ABLE TO SET UP VIRTUAL GEOFENCES AND A WARNING SYSTEM TO PREVENT CONFLICTS. ALL THIS INFORMATION IS VITAL FOR US TO KEEP THEM SAFE.

AFTER YEARS OF OVERCOMING OBSTACLES TO SECURE PRISTINE HABITAT FOR ELEPHANTS AND RHINOS NEXT TO THE GREATER MADIKWE RESERVE, IN 2021, ERP - TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNER THE BAROKOLOGADI COMMUNITY, FINALLY LAUNCHED THIS LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PROJECT. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THE ERP MELORANE GAME RESERVE, ON COMMUNITY-OWNED LAND, THAT WE LEASE, AND ARE CREATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR BENEFICIARIES OF THE BAROKOLOGADI COMMUNITY PROPERTY ASSOCIATION.THROUGH OUR 90 YEAR LEASE OF THE COMMUNITY-OWNED PROPERTY, THE ERP MELORANE GAME RESERVE HAS BECOME OUR FLAGSHIP PROJECT. WE AIM TO FRANCHISE THIS MODEL INTO MANY OTHER CONSERVATION AREAS.WE HAVE COMPLETED THE BIG-5 GAME PROOF FENCE AROUND THE CONSERVATION AREA, AND REGISTERED THE AREA AS A GAME RESERVE. WE ARE ALSO IMPLEMENTING OUR ANTI-POACHING MODEL TO PROTECT RHINO AND ELEPHANTS ON THE CONSERVATION AREA.WE ARE PROTECTING BIG TREES THAT WILL EMINENTLY BE EXPOSED TO ELEPHANTS ACCESSING THE MOLATEDI DAM, BY PUTTING BEEHIVES IN THEM. THE BEEHIVES ARE OWNED BY THE MELORANE APIARISTS LED BY ERPS PORTIA MORUDI.WE HAVE COMPLETED A COMMUNITY SURVEY, PROVIDING INVALUABLE INFORMATION ON THE SKILLS AND NEEDS OF THE BAROKOLOGADI PEOPLE, TO WHOM THIS LAND BELONGS.WE HAVE CREATED A TRUST FUND THAT WE USE TO SEED FUND BUSINESS AROUND THE CONSERVATION AREA, AMONGST OTHERS THE MELORANE APIARIES, A TRAINING CENTRE AND VEGETABLE AND CROP PRODUCTION.WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED A MATH LEARNING APP FOR SELF-STUDY PURPOSES AT THE SCHOOLS IN THE NEIGHBOURING VILLAGES.WE HAVE A FEEDING SCHEME FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE.THE SCHOOLS IN THE AREA ARE THE MAIN BENEFICIARIES OF #BIKES4ERP.IN SHORT, ELEPHANTS AND RHINO WELFARE, THROUGH A STRATEGY OF POVERTY ALLEVIATION.