Visitation patterns of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) to a rubbish dumpsite in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

A core group of up to 27 African elephant bulls (Loxodonta africana) was found to habitually raid a municipal rubbish dumpsite near Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, daily between early and late evening. These elephants spent several hours consuming non-biodegradable waste and drinking from nearby sewage stabilization ponds. Analysis of 71.6% of elephant dung samples in the vicinity confirmed the presence of plastic waste, highlighting the potential ecological and health risks to the animals. This behavior, while not a typical case of human-elephant conflict (HEC), represents an indirect form of conflict caused by human activity, with implications for both elephant welfare and ecosystem stability.

Le Breton, J. (2019). Visitation patterns of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) to a rubbish dumpsite in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Pachyderm, 60, 45–54. https://doi.org/10.69649/pachyderm.v60i.30