Mitigating Elephant and Human Conflict in the Namib

Water source protection from Desert-Adapted Elephant – Building walls around water tanks established for human use in the Namib Desert.

[12 minutes read]

A view from a residential water tank across the semi-arid lands of the Namib with elephant wall in construction

In the southern Kunene region (formally Damaraland) of Nambia’s Namib desert, lie the Huab and Ugab rivers. Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) monitor the elephant population, and support activities to reduce Elephant-Human conflict in this part of Southern Africa.

This post focuses on the building of walls to protect water tanks from elephants as they migrate back to the rivers at the beginning of the dry season. This initiative plays a key part in the conservation of the Desert-Adapted Elephant. Installing infrastructure limits the tension between people and animal.

Precious liquid assigned for human use is protected by an elephant resistant wall around residential water tanks and pipework. The tanks and piping provide gravity fed water to local homes. Elephant dams positioned next to these tanks, enable the elephant to slake their thirst and move on.

By keeping water for human use separate from that for elephant use, a trigger for human-wildlife conflict is mitigated. Protecting this vital resource for both people and animal, supports valuable subsistence farming inside an elephant migration corridor.

Increased tourism to Namibia to view the desert-adapted elephant improves the economy. Subsistence farming in the remote areas of the interior provides stability and security in an empty quarter. Both animal and people living side by side in this area have great benefits for the country. To ensure harmony between human and animal has fallen to EHRA, and this post outlines the activities undertaken to achieve this.

This experience began on the 5th February 2019, when my group of recently introduced travel companions set off from Base Camp to an undisclosed location with an incredible view of the Brandberg Mountain. Our task, to build a wall around a water tank, where a family had built a subsistence lifestyle inside the migration route of elephant from the plains to the Ugab River.

The drive to site was made even more enjoyable by the effervescent personality and character of our driver and guide, Big Matthias. Greeting almost every person we drove past on-route, he exuded enthusiasm, and was clearly well liked in this area. Having travelled these paths for many decades, he brought age and wisdom to our very young cohort of volunteers.

Unfolding ourselves from the mini-van on arrival at site we were greeted with a scene of desolation. Short scrubby trees and red earth stretching far and wide. The heat of the Namibian sun beating down. A water tank up a hill, a small market garden and corrugated iron sheeting hammered together as a shelter. And a very special view of the large granitic dome of the Brandberg massif.

Once our canvas shelter had been erected, and were refuelled with sandwiches and red cordial, the task briefing began. Over the next four days we’d be exercising in the Namibian heat; cross-training activities such as shovelling sand, bench-pressing rocks and mixing cement. The days were punctuated with welcome rests for mid-morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and a potjie dinner with an extra sprinkling of sunset.

In an attempt to encourage people to live in the interior, the Namibian government has drilled wells for the local population. The resident is responsible for purchasing the diesel to pump the water from the well to their residence. Cost constraints, and no need for a continuous supply of water, drive residents to install tanks that enable on-demand gravity flow. Once near-empty, the pump is switched on, the tank is filled, the cycle restarts.

The view from the tank to the garden, connected by the pipe

The water is used in the household, and to grow the vegetables that form part of the subsistence diet. A pipe to both the household and the garden allows water to flow via gravity.

During the rainy season, the inland plains are flooded with nutritious grasses, tasty morsels that encourage the elephant away from the riverbeds. In order to realise the romanticised subsistence farming lifestyle, thirsty elephants migrating back to the rivers during the dry times, need to be managed.

As the rains depart and surface water reduces, elephants, now far from the riverbeds, begin their return. Guided by the map in their minds of where water is available, they pass via these small residences, and the battle for this precious resource begins.

The end goal, a water tank protected, an elephant dam. Mitigating Human-Elephant conflict.

There is an alternative to battling. By building protective walls around the tanks, and establishing elephant drinking dams, the interest of both parties is preserved. Elephants can pass through the lands of the homesteads, unable to damage the water infrastructure, but still receive water from nearby artificial dams. Being a nomadic wanderer, the animal takes its fill and moves on, continuing its journey to the river bed and the permanent food source.

The area is governed by a Conservancy Model, established as a means to reduce poaching. It offers communities an economic stake in the future of the wildlife, which benefits their livelihood. Conservancies foster the spirit of people and wildlife co-existing. An inspirational model that enables community ownership of an area, but not without its challenges in daily operations.

Our band of travellers had signed up to support the building of these defences. We saddled up the trailer to the back of the game drive vehicle and jumped in, eager to start our first ‘Sand Run’. We arrived at a dry river bed, where the sand had been naturally sorted to a good consistency for use in cement. Big Matthias declared this digging season open.

Following a brief lesson in how to shovel sand, we quickly established an efficient way of working. One group shovelled sand in to a pile near the trailer, with another group lifting the sand from that pile in to the trailer. Another group rested on the sidelines, as it was tiring work. The last group enjoyed the views and provided moral support. Tag team, 5 minutes shovelling, five minutes rest, the trailer was full within 45 minutes.

Driving away, we left a hole, now missing about a ton of sand. Natural wind processes would return it to a flat river bed soon, but not until we had returned to the site four more times. Looking at the Brandberg, I marvelled at how far these grains of granitic sand had travelled. From the depths of the earth, weathered from the granite mountain, and moved to this riverbed many kilometres away by the irregular rains of the region. Now that grain of sand would become part of our elephant wall. Erosion processes would refill the extracted sand over time.

Once back at the tank, the reverse work-flow naturally established. This time limited by how many people could fit on the back of the trailer at any one time to shovel sand off. With the trailer sufficiently lightened we could disconnect it from the bull bar and tip the rest out.

The sand was left in neat a pile, trailer re-hitched, and the ‘Rock Run’ call was made. Driving away from the riverbeds, we headed to the higher parts of the area. Erosion of the low lying granite structure had been carving off brick sized rocks for eons. Unlike most commercial brick factories, Nature Incorporated had not left a well sorted arrangement of suitably sized bricks ready for collection. We roamed the kopjies searching for rocks, within our capacity to manually lift and move to the trailer. Shaking the rock before lifting, giving the scorpions and spiders time to run away.

Back at the tank, with a full stock pile of sand and rocks, we set about the task of building. Working purposefully outside, with great views and interesting people, is good for a persons mental state.

Every resilient structure starts with a good foundation and we set about learning from the experience of Andreas and Little Matthias. Clearing a circle around the tank, we sprinkled some water and put down a layer of cement. On this cement we positioned the first rocks. Although the foundations were not dug in, by the time the rocks were interlocking, the structure took on great strength.

It is ironic that we were building this wall to prevent the loss of water, however we would use a tank load of water in its construction. This structure would reduce the probability of an elephant pushing the tank over, thereby reducing the risk of water lost, and mitigate the financial loss and inconvenience of needing to rebuild. So a tank of water now to save a tank of water later, is a positive investment.

We did feel the impact of being without a water supply. Part way through the build we noticed the tank was nearly empty and needed a refill. There was a mad rush to fill up water bottles, just in case, as the message went through to the farmer. Information filtered back that the fan-belt on the pump had broken and a new one was required. On an offshore gas platform, this would trigger down-manning actions. We called an early lunch, lay in the shade for a few hours and waited as the farmer made a plan.

Just before the end of lunch, we breathed a sigh of relief with the sound of the pump roaring back to life in the distance. Bush mechanics having solved the problem, the sound of water flowing back in to the tank was enjoyed by all in the team.

Here on we settled in to a happy routine of mixing cement, lifting and placing rocks in the wall, and watching it grow taller. Working during the cooler parts of the day, morning and late afternoons, resting in the warmer parts. Exercising, napping, reading and appreciating the challenges of life in the desert for both people and elephants, was an enjoyable way to spend a few days.

The building methodology was to place larger rocks in two parallel lines, to form the external parts of the wall. The gap was filled with small and medium sized rocks, brought level with the top of the outer rocks. A layer of cement was applied to consolidate the smaller rocks in place and provide the matrix to bind the rocks together.

By the third day the structure was taking on shape and strength. We would not see the wall built to its full height, that would be left to the group that follows us. It also allows the farmer more time to lift the second tank in place within the structure. Project Management Bushveld style, Primavera scheduling software is not needed out here.

By the end of Day 3 we had the opportunity to marvel at our efforts. I had watched much sweat drip from my nose and be incorporated in to the structure. Leaving a part of me in this wall in Namibia. No blood, no tears, just sweat.

We called an end to construction and made the worksite safe and neat, it would be another two weeks before the next team returned. Back at our shelter we enjoyed the setting sun over the Namib.

At the campsite, whilst the potjie was cooking, it was great to listen to the stories of the older Namibians, Big Matthias, and the interpretation of the younger Namibian generation, Little Matthius, intern Anna, and Andreas. My experience filled the gap between the generations, viewed from the South African side. As a South African in a previous life, the conversation allowed me to reflect on memories of the late 1980’s, when Namibia, at that time South West Africa, was transitioning from South African administration, to its independence. What a beautiful country it has remained.

A unique experience to toil under the African sun with purpose. Whilst most motivational speakers talk of breaking down walls as progress, in Namibia, building walls enable progress. By reducing the risk of damage by elephant to household water sources, a key part of Human-Elephant conflict is mitigated. However it is only a part of the story. The elephants frustration is understandable, they can smell water, but cannot access it. The risk that they push harder is real. Building walls is the first part of the solution, providing access for the animal to water when they smell it, is the complete solution. Within the framework of a Conservancy, the community and wildlife benefit, foreign tourists get to experience a unique ecosystem, and Namibia flourishes. People and Elephants living together in a desert, an exciting Ecosystem Hotspot.

The end goal, a water tank protected, an elephant dam. Mitigating Human-Elephant conflict.