IFAW statement - elephant kills Kasungu woman

(Lilongwe, Malawi—7 June, 2023) The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is deeply saddened to report the death of Ms Masiye Phiri (31 yrs) on 3 June, 2023 in Chafwamba village near Kasungu National Park, Malawi, following an elephant attack.

Ms Phiri was gathering vegetables near the park boundary when a female elephant with a calf attacked her. The deceased was carrying her two-year-old baby, who survived the incident unhurt and was immediately admitted to the hospital for observation. Ms Phiri was laid to rest on Sunday. We extend our condolences to her family and the wider Chafwamba community.

IFAW is committed to finding solutions to ending conflict between people living in the communal areas bordering Kasungu NP and wildlife, including elephants. This includes building a perimeter fence to protect the densely populated eastern border. To date, 97 kilometres of the fence have been completed. Construction continues and will extend the fence by 20 kilometres before year-end.

We have deployed increased numbers of rangers to protect people and property close to the park, including sensitisation for communities on elephant behaviour and providing them with early warning systems and devices to protect themselves.

Incidents like the one above focus on the biggest challenge of our time: the successful coexistence of people and wildlife. Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) has become inevitable, especially where communities live within and bordering conservation areas. This is mainly due to shrinking wildlife natural habitats and competition for scarce resources like food and water. IFAW recognises that people and wildlife have spent centuries living together and sharing landscapes. While our conservation initiatives aim to create natural room to roam across landscapes to ensure species survival, we have a responsibility to safeguard and protect the people in these landscapes.

To prioritise human life and livelihoods, IFAW works proactively with experts and communities to reduce and mitigate incidents that could lead to the loss of life and damage to property. IFAW engages with those living closest to the animals and habitats we strive to protect to ensure positive and sustained change. We are committed to working respectfully and collaboratively with communities to find lasting solutions that work for wildlife, people, and the animals under their stewardship.