collaring elephants and post-release monitoring

Blog by Kasi Amor Kalande

GRI-Research Assistant/GIS Analyst

In the world of elephant conservation, monitoring activities form an essential tool in the efforts to protect them. Collaring elephants plays a critical role in understanding their movements, behaviours, and interactions with the environment.

In Post Release Monitoring (the monitoring of animals after release back into the wild), the invaluable insights that we gain  from GPS-enabled collars help us to: 

1. Understand movement patterns: by tracking their paths through post-release monitoring, we can determine whether released elephants are adapting to the wild and integrating with wild herds. 

   
   

2. Identify risks and promote coexistence: collars provide early warnings when elephants venture near human settlements through inbuilt alerts, enabling us to deploy rapid response units and reduce the likelihood of human-elephant conflict. 

   
   

3. Landscape changes: long-term data from collared elephants can highlight critical habitats, migration corridors, and potential threats

In partnership with Indiana University, DNPW, and African Parks, GRI recently carried out a significant collaring operation to re-collar released orphans and wild elephants whose collars were malfunctioning, and to target additional wild elephants to increase our scope, data range, and understanding of the wild herds. In addition, a large wild bull (approximately 40 years old), thought to be involved in conflicts with the local community,  was collared to monitor his movements in Nkala Game Management Area (GMA), the buffer zone to Kafue National Park and the interface between wild space and community lands. 

What happens during a GRI collaring operation?

When collaring elephants in the wild, our collaring operations require expertise and teamwork between ground, research, and aerial unit teams. The ground team ensures that all equipment is in place, the research team prepares sample kits, while the aerial team, including a veterinarian from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), uses a helicopter to locate the elephant with the aid of telemetry tools such as the VHF and UHF trackers. Once the target elephant is located, the veterinarian sedates it from the helicopter. Here the vet must assess the weight of the elephant, load a dart with the appropriate amount of tranquilizer, and then shoot the elephant into its muscle – an incredible skill all whilst moving around in the sky! The team then tracks the elephant from the air until it is safely immobilized, which usually takes 5 to 10 minutes. After the elephant is sedated and goes to the ground, the helicopter lands and the grounds team quickly moves in to fit the GPS collar, a process that takes approximately 10-15 minutes. During this time, the research team collects biological samples such as blood, tissue, genetic swabs (saliva, nasal, urine), and dung to further understand the elephant’s health, behaviour, and ageing. These are important objectives for the Elephant Trauma Study, research being conducted by Professor Daniella Chusyd of Indiana University in partnership with GRI. We also record various measurements that help us build baseline data of elephant growth and size

When this mature female elephant felt the effects of the tranquilizer she went into the thicket, the grounds team worked quickly to cut the small trees and enable her to be pushed onto her side which is the optimal position when under sedation

Throughout the time the elephant is unconscious the team works together to monitor its vitals, ensuring they are stable with deep steady breathing, a regular strong pulse, and normal temperature. Water is regularly poured on the elephant to keep it cool since it cannot regulate its temperature whilst immobilized. As soon as all data is collected, and the collar is secure, the vet administers a reversal drug to wake the elephant. The team stays nearby to monitor its recovery and makes sure that the elephant is fit to return to its normal life. 

The vet, researchers, pilot, rangers and grounds team work together to ensure the collar is fitted, biological samples are collected, and all personnel are safe

The first orphan to be collared during this recent operation was Musliani, who still uses the boma at night and so could be darted inside this 3-Ha paddock. This was a great opportunity for the team to practice the collaring process in a safe and secure space. We then moved our focus to Mphamvu, who is now wild and moving with Chamilandu’s herd or sometimes with wild elephants. He was located not far from the Release Facility and darted from the helicopter. We also spent quite some time searching for Batoka who has been wild since 2020 and whose collar had broken. Unfortunately, he has become wise to the aerial support and spent 4 days in hiding despite best efforts to locate him.

A significant highlight of the operation took place as we searched for a new suitable sub-adult male as a research target. We located one near Shanangoma area in the company of 3 other bulls, only after he was darted and the team were with him did we notice distinctive ear markings which revealed that it was in fact Muchichili!

“Muchi” left the KRF herd in March 2023 in the company of wild elephants and was last seen in May 2023. Since that time we have not been aware of his movements. It was an incredible boost for the whole team to see him looking so healthy and clearly thriving in the company of his new wild herd.  

The GPS collars provide essential data, from daily movement patterns, spatial trends, and how the elephants are responding to changes in the landscape. For example, since being collared, Muchichili’s tracks have revealed his travels around the lakeside, Nkala GMA, and the Iyanda community in the company of a wild herd. The map below illustrates the movements of an orphaned elephant who has successfully integrated into a wild herd and is likely influenced by the herd’s natural movement patterns. While the herd occasionally ventures into areas with human settlements, as seen from Muchi’s tracks on the map, such occurrences are rare. For example, his overall time in the conflict area accounts for 2% of his entire period of observation (135 days). This visualization underscores the importance of Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) mitigation efforts and the critical need for sustained support for GRI’s Human-Wildlife Conflict innovations from all our partners and donors to promote coexistence between elephants and humans. 

Muchichili's movement tracks in the orphaned elephant release area (Kafue National Park and Nkala Game Management Area)

At GRI, we are proud of the strides that we’ve made in post-release monitoring through collaring operations. With every operation, we gain new insights and renew our commitment to protecting elephants and the habitats they depend on. From veterinarians and researchers, to pilots and ground teams, every individual plays a significant role in ensuring the safety and well-being of the orphaned elephants and their wild counterparts.