Recommendations for Elephant Management at Pongola Private Game Reserve, South Africa

Pongola Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa is a small (12,959 ha private land and 1,943 ha state land) fenced reserve with a large elephant population (79 individuals). Landowners are increasingly concerned about elephant impact on vegetation in the reserve and thus steps must be made to ensure the sustainable management of this elephant population. In 2008 Disney Corporation funded vasectomies of the adult bulls as a means of preventing further population growth. The dominant male in the population was too large to undergo surgery and is receiving GnRH hormone suppressant to prevent breeding. Despite contraception, the elephant density at Pongola is still a cause for concern. In addition, little is know about the long-term effects of vasectomies on elephant behaviour and herd dynamics. Consequently, the ranging, habitat use, association patterns and social behaviour of the elephants at Pongola have been studied in detail during 2011 by a joint team from Disney’s Elephant Population Management Programme, Operation Wallacea, Wildlife & Ecological Investments, and Space For Elephants. The purpose of this report is to relay the findings of this study and use the empirical data in conjunction with information from other reserves to make a series of management recommendations for the elephants at Pongola Game Reserve.