Illustrated talk – Saving elephants or trees or both

Illustrated talk by Morgan Hauptfleisch

This talk will explore the controversy surrounding controlling elephant numbers within sustainable ecological limits through culling or trophy hunting. Elephants can have a devastating effect on plant and other biological diversity if their densities (not their numbers!) are too high. The outcry from animal-rightists against elephant population control brings the conundrum for conservationists whether they should preserve plant biodiversity and healthy ecosystems or individual elephants’ rights to a peaceful existence. But are there only two sides to this coin? The talk will draw on some insights from a study on habitat use by elephants in the Kunene region which considered the effect of elephant foraging around waterpoints on vegetation health, structure and diversity.

Thursday 17 July

Time: 19h00 

National Botanic Research Institute, 8 Orban Street

Refreshments will be available afterwards

All welcome