The Foundation for the Conservation of Biodiversity (BIOFUND) and the Commercial and Investment Bank (BCI) have taken another significant step in their partnership for the protection of wildlife. On August 11, at the Incomati Conservancy, Moamba district, the sixth and final monitoring collar was placed on a male elephant, under the project Voices of the Savanna: Elephants Monitored, Communities Heard.

The action, financed by the bio Card – a joint initiative between BIOFUND and BCI that allocates, at no additional cost to the client, a percentage of the annual fee and the transactions made with this card to conservation projects – was attended by the Chairperson of BCI’s Executive Board and BIOFUND’s Executive Director.

The Mozambique Wildlife Alliance (MWA) team, led by a veterinarian and supported by BCI’s PCE, carried out the operation on an elephant with a severe leg wound caused by a steel cable (illegal snare). This type of snare, often used to capture small animals, also affects large species, putting them at risk and intensifying conflict situations with communities. The snare was successfully removed, the wound properly treated, and the collar placed, enabling the tracking of the elephant’s movements. The elephant is now identified by the name Chitinini.

The group also visited a community electric fence (an important and complementary component of this elephant collaring project), installed to protect the fields of 45 families, ensuring food security and preventing elephants from entering these areas. The support of the Bio Card in such interventions demonstrates that the mitigation strategy combines monitoring technologies and physical barriers to protect both communities and elephants.

“We were very proud to witness the leadership, ability, and professionalism of the head veterinarian, a young Mozambican who was one of the first interns of the Mozambique Conservation Leadership Programme (PLCM), launched by BIOFUND with support from the World Bank – MozBio2 Project, and currently supported by the Government of Sweden, during this dangerous and complex activity,” highlighted Alexandra Jorge (BIOFUND Programme Director).

The Voices of the Savanna project responds to the growing elephant movements across the Incomati River towards community areas in the districts of Moamba, Namaacha, and Matutuine. Its goal is to develop a robust conflict prevention system, promoting peaceful coexistence and bringing tangible benefits to the communities that live alongside these giants of the savanna.

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