Fact sheet: First translocation of elephants from Kruger National Park to Mozambique

In this first translocation about 40 elephants, including three breeding herds, are being moved to Mozambique. It is planned to translocate 1 000 elephants to Mozambique in the next two-and-a-half years.

The translocation is the first concrete step towards the development of the Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park, which stretches over the border of three countries: Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

An international tripartite agreement towards the creation of Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou as one of the world's largest animal conservation areas -- of 35 000km² -- was signed late last year. This is the first phase of creating a much larger transfrontier conservation area of 100 000km².

As a prelude to the establishment of the transfrontier park, a part of Mozambique's Gaza province (Coutada 16), which had previously been a hunting concession area, is being accorded conservation status. The German government awarded a grant of R40 million to develop Coutada 16 as an integral part of the transfrontier park.

Today, the herd of Kruger Park elephants was formally handed to the Mozambican Minister of Tourism, Mr Fernando Sumbana, by Mr Valli Moosa, the South African Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.

The elephants, captured early in the morning about 100km away, are released into a boma (an acclimatisation enclosure). After a day of settling down, the gates are opened and the elephants walk free into their new range.

The capture is done by the world's top elephant capture team, based at Skukuza. The move is part of the elephant management programme of the Kruger Park, which has 9 000 elephants.

Translocation of elephants is a costly exercise, to which the Peace Parks Foundation, as part of an agreement with South African National Parks, has already contributed R9 million.

The envisaged Gaza-Kruger-Gonarezhou Transfrontier Park has been hailed as "Africa's super park" and is expected to become one of the world's top tourist attractions, benefitting the entire region.

Plans are being discussed for the further development of tourist facilities, and the eventual taking down of the present fence between the Kruger National Park and the Gaza area.