An aerial survey of the NNR took place from the 15th October to the 6th November 2014, covering 42,139 km2. An additional extension to the south of the reserve, covering 12,160 km2, was surveyed from the 7th November to the 9th November 2014. A total of 411 transects were flown, with a total length of 12,160 km.
The combined 5,457 elephant represent Mozambique’s most important remaining elephant population, possible accounting for about 50% of all elephants found in the country. However, the population has experienced its steepest decline and the lowest recorded population estimate since monitoring started in 1998. The data presented here indicates that the population has reduced by 60% within three years. That equates to a loss of 7,500 animals in Niassa and 1,531 elephants in the southern extension (the later over a period of five years). The survey has also recorded the highest number of carcasses of any earlier survey with an exponential increase over the last 10 years. Although elephant populations have gone down poaching levels have increased and the population is in imminent danger of experiencing further large decreases.
The NNR survey zone was surveyed using a Cessna C182.
Source:Grossmann, F., Lopes Pereira, C., Chambal, D., Maluleque, G.,Bendzane, E., McLellan P., Bay, C., Mudluli, A., Peltier, A., Foloma, & M., Ntumi, C., Polana E. & Nelson, A. (2014). Aerial Survey of Elephant, Other Wildlife and Human Activity in the Niassa National Reserve and Adjacent Areas. (p. 159). New York: Wildlife Conservation Society.
