Southern Africas elephant population has grown to over 230,000 a conservation success that is creating new problems for people living alongside the animals. Zimbabwe, at the centre of this growth, is trying to balance protecting nature with keeping communities safe and the environment sustainable.

Zimbabwes elephant population has grown steadily over the past decade thanks to intensive national and regional conservation strategies.

According to Tinashe Farawo, spokesperson for theZimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority(ZimParks), the countrys elephant count has risen from around 84,000-90,000 in 2014 to over 100,000 today, growing by roughly 5 percent per year.

This success is supported by both local initiatives and international partnerships. The European Union, Germany, and theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN), among others, have poured millions into biodiversity efforts.

Under its Natural Africa Programme, the EU alone has allocated $36 million toward conservation, sustainable economic development, and improved park management across Southern Africa.

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Zimbabwe is a key player in the regionsTransfrontier Conservation Areas(TFCAs). They are cross-border protected zones that enable wildlife to roam freely across 11 international boundaries.

These include areas like Kavango-Zambezi, Great Limpopo, and Mana Pools, designed to preserve migration corridors for elephants, rhinos, and other species.

The human cost of conservation

With animal populations booming, local communities are facing growing dangers. Farawo notes that elephants are increasingly forced to venture outside protected areas in search of food and water, bringing them into direct conflict with people.

Weve translocated over 200 elephants in the Save Valley over the last five years, says Farawo. But its a drop in the ocean. Long-term solutions are expensive and require major investment.

Tensions are high in places like Hwange, Chiredzi, Kariba and Mbire, where elephants trample crops and predators attack livestock or even villagers.

Domingos Gove, Director for Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources at the SADC Secretariat, reported that dozens of people are killed by wildlife annually across the region.

Traditional leaders and local advocates stress the need for communities to see tangible benefits from conservation, such as employment, schools, clinics, and infrastructure if they are to become true stewards of the land.

Building community-led solutions

Professor Andrew Nambota, head of thePeace Parks Foundation, says meaningful local participation is essential.

Communities are not just stakeholders they're custodians. They should be at the decision-making table and drive economic development in their regions.

Itai Chibaya, Country Director for WWF Zimbabwe, agrees.

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In the Hwange-Kazuma-Chobe corridor, sustainable conservation supports livelihoods, he says. Nature tourism accounts for up to 10 percent of GDP in several SADC countries and supports over three million jobs, including many for youth and women.

But Chibaya warns that climate change, underfunded projects, and fragmented habitats from mining and infrastructure threaten long-term sustainability. WWF and other partners are working to develop ecotourism models that return value directly to villages, not just capital cities.

Call for new conservation models

At the recent SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas Summit in Harare held under the theme 25 Years of Cooperation for Regional Integration and Sustainable Development leaders called for broader, more inclusive conservation strategies.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa highlighted Zimbabwes launch of a blockchain-based national carbon registry, aimed at generating transparent revenue through climate action.

This shows our determination to contribute to new global standards with accountability and sustainability, he said.

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Experts argue that carbon credits from reforestation and other efforts could become a critical funding source for conservation if communities are properly included in benefit-sharing models.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe holds over 130 tonnes of ivory from natural deaths and anti-poaching operations worth an estimated $600 million. Yet international bans under CITES prevent the country from selling the stockpile, limiting potential funding for future conservation work.

As the SADC summit concluded, leaders urged member states to develop tailored solutions for rising human-wildlife conflict and push for legislative and financial reforms to ensure the long-term viability of shared conservation goals.

Originally published on RFI