Surveys

Why do aerial surveys?
Elephants are often in remote and difficult terrain and the best way to count them is from the air. Aerial surveys provide vital information on the status, seasonal distribution and abundance of elephants. They improve our understanding of elephant populations, allow us to base our conservation action on solid scientific understanding and guide future elephant research and monitoring. These surveys allow us to assess spatial and temporal trends of elephants and wildlife, with an emphasis on evaluating the effectiveness of management policies.

EWB has conducted several extensive aerial surveys to help determine elephant numbers, their habitat needs and seasonal distribution. Since 2001, the EWB team has amassed upwards of 2000 hours of aerial survey flying, counting elephants and other wildlife in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia. EWB is meticulous and rigorous in conducting the most comprehensive aerial surveys, which are providing new and essential information on the population status of elephants and other threatened wildlife species.

Two observers call out the numbers of wildlife seen between two wands attached to the strut of the plane. High- quality digital cameras, which are mounted on the plane provide high-resolution images so that animals can be more accurately counted during subsequent analyses.

Survey Results
In January 2003, and at the end of almost 30 years of civil conflict in Angola, EWB flew the first systematic aerial survey, ever, to estimate elephant and wildlife numbers in southeast Angola. The survey area, Luiana Partial Reserve, was severely affected by the civil war. It is reported that 100, 000 elephant were slaughtered for their ivory and meat to help fund the war. In an area which was left with virtually no wildlife. EWB, together with Conservation International, was the first organization to record wildlife population returning to southeast Angola. EWB expanded their surveys to encompass the neighboring protected area, Sioma Ngwezi National Park, in southwest Zambia. The last estimates for elephants in this remote park were taken in 1969. Also, included in the surveys was the Caprivi Strip of Namibia. These surveys provided the first comprehensive regional assessment on the status of elephant populations. Subsequently, aerial surveys were conducted each year, over 3 years, which provided data to undertake comparative analyses.

EWB’s data from aerial surveys has revealed that elephants are returning in ever-growing numbers to southeast Angola. The 2005 survey data of the Caprivi Strip, suggests that elephant numbers increased by only 15%, since 1998, which, is considered a relatively small population increase over such a timeframe. However, in Sioma Ngwezi, elephant numbers appeared to have decreased from 1,212 in 2003 to 385 in 2005. In contrast, the three aerial surveys of Luiana Partial Reserve in southeast Angola indicated that elephant numbers are increasing rapidly and expanding their range, from 329 in January 2004, to 1827 in November 2005, to an estimate of 8000 in 2007. The end of the war in Angola is likely now providing the requisite security for elephants to return to their ancestral homeland.

Aerial surveys

Northern Botswana
Dry Season Fixed-wing Aerial Survey of Elephants and Wildlife in Northern Botswana. September-November 2010
Report not yet available

Okavango Delta, NG26, Botswana
Fixed-wing Aerial Survey of Wildlife in the Abu Wildlife Management Area. October 2010
Report not yet available

Okavango Panhandle, NG11, NG12 and NG13
Elephant Survey July 2010, Eastern Okavango Panhandle, Botswana.
Report not yet available

Chitabe Concession in Botswana, Okavango Delta.
Fixed-wing aerial census of Wildlife in the Chitabe Concession in Botswana
September 2010.
Report not available

Chitabe Concession in Botswana, Okavango Delta.
Fixed-wing aerial census of Wildlife in the Chitabe Concession in Botswana
August 2009.
Report no available

Namibia Nature Foundation, report produced:
Aerial Wildlife Census of the Caprivi River Systems, a survey of Rivers, Wetlands and Floodplains. September 2009.
Report not yet available

Okavango Panhandle, NG11, NG12 and NG13
Elephant Survey August 2008, Eastern Okavango Panhandle, Botswana
To view please refer to our Downloads page:

Conservation International, report produced.
Aerial Survey of Elephants in Northeast Namibia, September-October 2007
To view please refer to our Downloads page

Namibia Nature Foundation, report produced:
Aerial wildlife census of the Caprivi River Systems, a survey of rivers, wetlands and floodplains. September 2007.
To view please refer to our Downloads page

Namibia Nature Foundation, report produced:
Status of Wattled Cranes on the floodplains of north-east Namibia: results from an aerial survey during September 2007.
To view please refer to our Downloads page