A charity is under fire for relocating 263 elephants to a park in Zambia, where they allegedly caused significant harm.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is accused of implementing a flawed conservation strategy, leading to fatal consequences and substantial damage to local agriculture.
In July 2022, IFAW facilitated the transfer of elephants from Liwonde National Park in Malawi to Kasungu National Park, which borders Zambia.
Since the relocation, reports from a local NGO indicate that the elephants have been responsible for at least nine fatalities and have caused approximately $3 million in crop damage by trampling and feeding on farmers’ produce.
Mike Labuschagne, a former IFAW law enforcement officer in Kasungu, has criticized the charity for failing to address the aftermath of the relocation.
He suggested that if a similar situation occurred in London, where 263 hyenas were released and caused multiple deaths, there would be a strong outcry.
IFAW, a major global conservation organization with a budget of $127 million for projects last year, aimed to reduce environmental pressure on Liwonde National Park through the elephant transfer.
The operation, one of the largest of its kind, involved tranquilizing the elephants for transport and moving them in large trucks.
In addition to the elephants, the transfer also included 80 buffalo, 128 impalas, 33 sable, 81 warthogs, and 109 waterbucks.
Despite the planned benefits, the elephants’ presence in Kasungu has led to destruction as they forage for food, damaging homes and grain stores.
Abraham Phiri recounted that his father was killed by a herd of elephants while working near the border.
Another farmer, Levison Banda, reported a significant drop in his income due to the elephants’ invasions.
The governments of Malawi and Zambia do not offer compensation for damage caused by wildlife, although they highlight the potential tourism benefits of such relocations.
The local population lives in fear, with residents resorting to noise and fireworks to deter the elephants.
IFAW has responded to the criticism by stating that the Malawian government made the relocation decision, not the charity.
An IFAW spokesperson emphasized that the organization’s role was to provide financial and technical support for the project, guided by scientific advice and executed with Malawian expertise.
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