Title: Elephants Without Borders

Description:

Elsewhere in Africa elephants are in decline, but Botswana has an overpopulation problem with over 150,000. A pre-emptive cull of over 60,000 has been suggested. Dr. Mike Chaseʼs research finds real and meaningful solutions to Botswana's problem.

Mike is discovering their ancient migration routes, now blocked by expanding human settlement, and is lobbying the governments of neighbouring counties to open gaps for safe passage.

Previously unrecorded annual gatherings, numbering over 5000 elephants, suggests an elephant intellect far more complex than previously imagined. Dr Chase believes that these clan gatherings reinforce bonds between family groups and that survival strategies are shared.

New science about elephant movements and home range sizes is revealed. Mike tracks a bull elephant with an astounding home range of 35,000 sq kilometres - the largest ever recorded for an African elephant. Female home range sizes are discovered to be nearly five times the previously accepted average of 3000 square kilometres.

Bull elephants living in the Makgadigadi salt pans are filmed for the first time as Mike discovers how they survive in the hostile desert. 

In the end the film reveals the solution: Mike has identified corridors that will allow Angola's refugee elephants to return home after 30 years of civil war. 

Positive results:

As documented by Dr. Mike Chase of Elephants Without Borders Organisation ("EWB"):

The film helped open dialogue between five African countries and has had a direct impact on elephant conservation in Botswana and beyond. The film has:

• Provided EWB with an audience with the Botswana Government, who then provided EWB with funding to conduct the first independent aerial survey of elephants (and other wildlife) in the Botswana.
• Boosted the profile of elephant conservation in KAZA (Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier), the world's largest conservation area straddling Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The film has been viewed by the Government Departments in the five countries charged with formalising KAZA.
• Aided EWB in securing funding from Conservation Agencies in the amount of US$50 000.00, all of which has been ploughed back into elephant conservation and the KAZA Transfronteir Conservation area.
• Helped secure funding for EWBʼs conservation farming project, in which EWB are researching techniques to keep elephants out of farmlands and thus reduce human elephant conflict.
• Brought awareness which helped prioritise conservation corridors and areas to initially de-mine in South-eastern Angola in collaboration with the Angolan government and MgM demining company.
• Created dialogue amongst decision makers on the decommissioning and re-alignment of Botswana's Vet Fences.
• Increased awareness amongst the youth about elephant conservation in Botswana.

Non-Profit DVD Availability:
No information - Contact Filmmaker

Contact/Links:

Produced by AFRISCREEN FILMS for BBC NATURAL WORLD
Producers: Tania "TJʼ Jenkins & Mike Holding
Postal: PO Box HA 40 HAK, Maun, Botswana
Phone: +267 6862570 /+267 6863721 /+267 6801123
www.afriscreen.com
Series Producer: Tim Martin BBC NHU
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hhf6f
For more detailed information about the Project and Mike Chaseʼs work, please visit: http://www.elephantswithoutborders.org