National Policy and Strategy for the conservation and management of elephants in Botswana.

This National Policy and Strategy for the conservation and management of elephant in Botswana declares that the Department of Wildlife and National Parks will effectively conserve the wildlife of Botswana in consultation with local, regional and international stakeholders for the benefit of present and future generations; that they will promote and facilitate sustainable utilization of wildlife resources through active participation of citizens, and by placing emphasis on partnership with the private sector to fully develop the potential of wildlife resources. This mission will achieve the following objectives: to ensure the conservation of biodiversity throughout Botswana in the interests of present and future generations; to ensure the conservation of the indigenous wildlife and habitat in the National Parks and Reserves through minimal interference and where necessary by adaptive management; to involve communities, NGOs and the private sector in the realization of the full economic potential of wildlife resources outside the protected areas through sustainable utilization whilst maintaining the country s biodiversity; to promote continuous research in all areas related to management of wildlife resources in Botswana; to raise public awareness and appreciation of Botswana s unique wildlife resources; to enforce the laws relating to wildlife resources. These objectives are repeated in each of the management plans for protected areas within the elephant range (Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, Makgikgadi and Nxai Pans National Parks). The overall Goal for elephant conservation and management in Botswana is to: conserve and optimize elephant populations while ensuring the maintenance of habitats and biodiversity, promoting the contribution of elephants to national development and to the communities within their range at the same time as minimizing their negative impacts on rural livelihoods. Within this over-arching goal, there are four primary objectives: reduce human-elephant conflict to acceptable levels; prevent, reduce or reverse unacceptable elephant-induced environmental changes; maximize the benefits from sustainable utilization of elephant; protect elephants through law enforcement and the following five supporting objectives: meet international obligations on elephant conservation, monitoring and management; improve public awareness of management needs; improve communication and coordination within and between stakeholders and role players; acquire adequate information for Department of Wildlife and National Parks (or DWNP) to manage elephants effectively; improve institutional and technical capacity for management.