In Gabon, forest elephants are increasingly encroaching on villages, destroying crops and alarming residents. Many villagers, dependent on agriculture, are frustrated and call for stronger measures, including killing the critically endangered animals to protect their livelihoods.
Strict conservation laws have made Gabon a haven for forest elephants, whose population has declined drastically due to poaching and habitat loss. However, the elephants are now straying closer to human settlements, creating conflict.
Authorities have tried solutions like electric fences to deter the animals without harming them. Experts point to climate change, habitat encroachment, and poaching as reasons for the elephants’ altered behavior.
The government’s stance shifted after a military coup, with President Brice Oligui Nguema allowing controlled self-defense killings in response to public outcry. However, strict regulations still govern such actions, and conservation laws remain in place.
Officials warn that without support for better coexistence, frustration could escalate, threatening elephant populations. Conservationists stress the elephants’ vital role in maintaining the Congo Basin’s ecosystem, urging solutions to benefit both humans and wildlife.