De Beers is working to rebalance elephant populations in Africa. Image credit: De Beers
Diamond company De Beers Group has reached another milestone in its mission to save the ecosystem of its Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve in South Africa.
The company has completed a successful second translocation of elephants in the reserve, moving herds of the animals to Zinave National Park in Mozambique. After starting the initiative about three years ago, this latest move brings the total of relocated elephants to 101.
Saving the elephants
While the African elephant’s future is threatened in the majority of Africa, in South Africa it is a different story.
The species' numbers in South Africa are not only stable but are also growing, and in VLNR’s case, they are impacting its ecosystem for the worse. The reserve has been under threat due to too many elephants, prompting the mission to move 200 of them.
De Beers is supporting elephant conservation efforts through the relocation project.
Working with the nonprofit Peace Parks Foundation, De Beers plans to translocate the elephants from the overcrowded VLNR to conservation areas in Mozambique, which have seen dwindling populations of the animals. Elephant conservation has been a shared priority for a number of luxury brands, as they use their resources to help protect the endangered species (see story).
This most recent group saw its first herd of elephants corralled on June 25 and released at Zinave National Park on June 27. Another herd was released at the park last week.
Translocation of elephants from Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, South Africa to Zinave National Park, Mozambique. Image credit: James Oatway/De Beers
Previous elephants involved in the move have been spotted integrating with the existing herds of Zinave.
The second translocation mission consisted of 53 elephants in 2019, and 2018’s total translocation resulted in 48.
“I was lucky enough to witness the most incredible situation play out in front of me,” said Bruce Cleaver, CEO of De Beers Group, in a statement. “A family of elephants were sedated, then the team on the ground had to move quickly to load the elephants safely into the waiting trucks.
“It’s amazing to think that within two days of this happening they will arrive at their new home,” he said. “It’s a very special privilege to witness first hand a conservation effort that will help secure the future for these elephants, and their future offspring, for generations to come.”