Climate pressures drive surge in human-wildlife conflict

Staff Writer

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) says human-wildlife conflict claimed 62 lives and left 81 injured in 2025, driven by climate change and intensifying competition for scarce water and grazing resources.

ZimParks attributed the increasing human-wildlife conflict to the worsening climate crisis, which has triggered intense competition between local communities and wildlife for declining resources.

Severe droughts have depleted natural water sources and grazing lands, forcing wildlife out of protected areas and into human settlements in search of food and water.

ZimParks said the increase in cases is part of a wider regional and global pattern where climate change is altering wildlife movement and behaviour, bringing animals and people into closer and more frequent contact.

“Climate change has fundamentally impacted the dynamics of our ecosystems. Our responsibility is to adapt our management approaches while working closely with government agencies, conservation partners and communities to reduce risk and build resilience,” ZimParks Director General, Edson Gandiwa, said in a statement.

Between 2024 and 2025, ZimParks said human-wildlife conflict cases surged from 1,654 cases in 2024 to 2,090 in 2025, representing a 26% increase, while livestock losses more than doubled over the same period.

In 2025, ZimParks said a total of 556 problem animals were neutralised as a mitigation measure. It added that total livestock losses also increased to 801 in 2025 from 362 in the previous year.

“Human-wildlife conflict hotspots included Kariba, Mbire, Chiredzi, Binga, Hwange, Hurungwe and Nyaminyami Districts, while analysis of the data indicates that hyenas, crocodiles, and elephants remain the most frequently reported species,” ZimParks said.

In line with ongoing policy reforms, ZimParks said the Parks and Wildlife Amendment Act No.4 of 2025 provides for a human–wildlife conflict relief fund as part of the government’s broader efforts to support affected communities.