Non-lethal elephant population control methods: Summary of the first workshop of the Elephant Specialist Advisory Group of South Africa

Henk Bertschinger,Heike R Zitzer,Audrey Delsink,Jeanetta Selier,Lucy A Bates,Marion E Garaï,Yolanda Pretorius

doi:10.4102/abc.v48i2.2357

Abstract

Management interventions are necessary to control elephant numbers within fenced wildlife reserves in South Africa. Use of non-lethal control methods is increasing, but information about their suitability and effects are not widely available. Three such methods are currently available: immunocontraception with porcine zona pellucida vaccine, vasectomy and gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine. Here we consolidate what we know about these methods, using published sources and material shared at a workshop held in South Africa in 2016, in order to provide up-to-date information for future policy decisions concerning the use of these methods in South Africa and elsewhere.

Highlights

Within South Africa, private ownership of wild animals is permitted (Blackmore & Trouwborst 2018)
Porcine zona pellucida is an immunocontraceptive vaccine that is delivered by intramuscular injection to female elephants, usually via remote darting
porcine zona pellucida (PZP) is not yet licenced by the Medicines Control Council for use in elephants in South Africa; it can only be adopted as part of a registered study through the Department of Production Animal Studies, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Summary

Introduction

Within South Africa, private ownership of wild animals is permitted (Blackmore & Trouwborst 2018). Fenced wildlife reserves can be vulnerable to rapid or steep increases in elephant numbers (Mackey et al 2006; Van Aarde et al 2008). Non-lethal population control methods are increasingly being utilised, namely vasectomy, immunocontraception with porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccine or immunocastration with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccine. These innovative methods do not directly reduce elephant numbers but can be adopted to suppress population increases by reducing reproduction rates. There is a need, to document both scientific data and field experience, so that the collated information may direct further scientific study and form the foundation of appropriate future policy

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Conclusion