A scientific perspective on the management of elephants in the Kruger National Park and elsewhere

How to respond to growing elephant numbers in the Kruger National Park and elsewhere in southern Africa continues to be a contentious issue. In contrast to the public perception, scientists have attained a high degree of consensus on the ecological basis for such decisions. In this article we summarize these ecological principles and the management responses that are indicated, in order to counter some of the misunderstanding that has been evident in the popular media.