Drought pushes elephants beyond protected areas in search of water — and that search brings them into contact with the communities living nearby.
In the Okavango, the dry season can arrive hard. Natural pans that hold water through the wetter months dry up early, and the reliable water elephants depend on becomes scarce.
As water becomes harder to find, elephants move beyond protected areas in search of alternative sources — often along corridors that pass close to farmland and villages.
Searching for waterThe pressure of the dry season is felt on both sides. These are the tensions Metsi a Ditlou sets out to ease.
Elephants searching for water can enter farming areas and damage the crops that families depend on.
Village water infrastructure may be affected as elephants seek out the water that people rely on too.
Closer, more frequent interaction between people and elephants increases safety concerns for residents.
Communities can feel caught between protecting wildlife and protecting their own livelihoods.
The problem is not simply elephants entering communities. The underlying issue is access to water.
