Title:

Dry season aerial survey of elephants and wildlife in northern Botswana, July - October 2018

Publication Year:
2018
Abstract:

This survey was conducted jointly by Elephants Without Borders and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Botswana). During the 2018 dry season, a fixed-wing aerial survey of elephants and wildlife was flown over the core conservation areas of northern Botswana as well as surrounding pastoral lands. This aerial survey was commissioned by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) and Elephants Without Borders (EWB). A small fixed-wing plane was used to survey an area of 103,662 km2. Surveyed areas included Moremi Game Reserve (GR), Chobe National Park (NP), Makgadikgadi and NxairnPan NPs and surrounding Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) and pastoral areas in Ngamiland, Chobe and Central districts. The 2018 survey expanded upon EWB's 2014 and 2010 dry-season aerial surveys of northern Botswana through the addition of new strata south of the Okavango Delta near Maun, west of Makgadikgadi NP, and southeast of Ngwasha/Sepako near the Zimbabwe border. The primary objective of this survey was to provide precise and accurate estimates of wildlife populations in the survey area, using repeatable, standardized methods. Secondary objectives included mapping the spatial distribution of elephants and other wildlife; determining the distribution of elephant carcasses, baobab trees, large birds, and livestock; and measuring trends in wildlife populations. This report provides the results of this survey, including information on the spatial distribution, abundance, and recent trends of elephant and other wildlife populations. Maps and tables illustrating the distribution, numbers, density and trends of wildlife species in northern Botswana are provided.

Item Type:
Report
Language:
en

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