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Empowering Data-Driven Elephant Conservation in Greater Kruger: A CITES MIKE Programme Success

Johann Nortje • June 17, 2024

Hoedspruit, South Africa - A significant milestone in elephant conservation training right here in the Greater Kruger area! In a fantastic collaboration between the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme and the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC), 39 rangers have been trained to monitor and report on elephant mortality. This effort is part of a three-year partner project aimed at enhancing data-driven conservation in Southern Africa, and it has recently culminated in a successful training session held in April 2024.


Rangers from across Southern Africa gathered at the SAWC campus, situated in the heart of Greater Kruger National Park, Hoedspruit, South Africa. The training emphasized the importance of accurate and consistent data on elephant deaths, which is crucial for understanding and effectively addressing the threats faced by elephants, such as human-elephant conflict, habitat loss, and illegal killing for ivory.


CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero eloquently captured the essence of this initiative: “This partnership highlights the importance of regional cooperation and shared knowledge in tackling the challenges faced by conservationists. Beyond imparting knowledge and skills, the CITES MIKE Programme builds capacity for accurate data collection, thus providing evidence-based strategies for the conservation of elephants and increasing their resilience against the various threats to biodiversity.” 


Participants were trained on the MIKE Programme's framework, data collection techniques, and documentation processes, ensuring consistency and accuracy in monitoring efforts across different sites. The Training of Trainers (ToT) approach was particularly innovative, as it aimed to empower these rangers to share their newfound knowledge and train additional personnel within their home countries. This approach amplifies the impact of the training program across borders, fostering a robust community of practice dedicated to elephant conservation.


Since its inception in 2022, this initiative has successfully trained over 100 wildlife conservation officials from Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These countries are not only home to the largest and healthiest populations of African elephants but have also been highly successful in their conservation efforts. It's thrilling to see our region of the Greater Kruger being included in such groundbreaking work, showcasing the innovative use of technology in conservation.


The support from the European Union has been instrumental in this initiative, forming part of the MIKES+ project. This project builds on previous CITES MIKE projects and aims to strengthen the capacity of wildlife law enforcement agencies at both national and focal site levels. The ultimate goal is to reduce the impacts of poaching and illegal wildlife trade, ensuring the long-term survival of African elephants in their natural habitats.


For more details on this impactful initiative, you can read the full press release on the CITES website.


Understanding the MIKE Platform

The CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme is a site-based system designed to monitor trends in the levels of illegal killing of elephants and build capacity in sites across the range of African and Asian elephants. Information from MIKE is crucial for CITES Parties to make informed decisions on elephant conservation and management.


To get a deeper understanding of the MIKE Programme, check out this informative video:


Stay tuned for more updates on our ongoing journey and the incredible conservation efforts happening around us. The project must go on, and so it has, with things steaming along in our part of the world.


Find out more: https://cites.org/eng  

Find out more: https://citesmike.org/ 



Johann Nortje

About The Author

Johann Nortje

Johann brings two decades of expertise in technology seamlessly interwoven with a passion for conservation and development. His career reflects a drive for the confluence of these ideas through projects across the African continent.

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