\u201cDavy became our friend.\u201d
Tales of conflict between animals and people are all too common across Africa. People have been cast off their land to make way for wildlife parks for tourists. Animals have attacked humans, poachers kill for tusks and scales, and large animals like elephants trample on crops and destroy them.
But today we\u2019re travelling about 200 km west of Nairobi in Kenya to an area called Sachangwan, where a shy elephant managed to charm his way into the hearts of the local community when he wandered into their area as a calf in 2017. Despite him causing some damage, the local people grew fond of him and learnt to live with him \u2013 and even gave him the name Davy.
But last month the Kenya Wildlife Service finally captured him and moved him to the Aberdare National Park where they say he\u2019ll have the company of other elephants. They also say it\u2019s not a good thing for elephants to live in such close proximity to humans.
So on today\u2019s Africa Daily, Muthoni Muchiri asks \u2013 how can humans and elephants co-exist for the benefit of both?
GUESTS: \nJoel Too - local pastor\nAbigael Simaloi Pertet - Co-Existence Project Manager at the Mara Elephant Project