Announcements!
Field Blog
User Login Form
Sign up for our Newsletter!
About Elephant Human Relations Aid (EHRA) Elephant Human Relations Aid is an Namibian registered not for gain organisation (registration number 21/2003/630) which runs an elephant conservation and volunteer project in Namibia, Africa. EHRA aims to find long-term sustainable solutions to the ever-growing problem of facilitating the peaceful co-habitation between the subsistence farmers, community members and the desert adapted elephants. In the 1980's the population of desert adapted elephants in the Southern Kunene Region of Damaraland were wiped out through years of poaching and hunting. For years elephants were absent from the area. This was until 1998 when Voortrekker, a bull, lead Mama Africa's herd back to the Ugab River. From that point other herds followed until today where there are a total of 7 elephant herds in the Ugab and Huab River vicinities. Through concerted efforts by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), IRDNC, Save the Rhino Trust and other NGO’s over the past 20 years, the population of desert dwelling elephants in the region has grown from as low as 52 members to a current population of over 600 elephants.
![]()
To learn more about the desert elephants click here.
Left: Local Damaraland homestead
Depletion of the natural water table with increasing human use has led too less available surface water for consumption. Therefore, man-made water points located close to the riverbeds have become the target for elephants in their quest for fresh water. Left: Elephants drinking at dam
|
|
|
|

About EHRA
As a result, elephants have expanded their range to the south and east into territories they have not occupied for many years. Subsistence farmers husbanding mainly cattle, goats and sheep, traditionally occupy these areas. As a result competition for water and grazing has escalated tremendously causing conflict between farmers and elephants. 

