Gabon’s successes in conservation – including hosting Africa’s largest population of forest elephants (95,000) – have also led to unforeseen consequences, such as human-wildlife conflict that contributes to food insecurity in rural areas. Indeed, Between 2016 and 2021, nearly 12,000 complaints about crop destruction were recorded, and from 2020 to 2021, 18 out of 27 wildlife attacks were caused by elephants, resulting in 8 deaths and several serious injuries. In response, Gabon is refining its policies to ensure they benefit both the environment and local communities.

In response to an urgent call in December 2024 by the Gabonese Prime Minister to the international community, asking for support on mitigating human- elephant conflicts, the “Pacific co-existence between humans and elephants” project was approved to offer immediate solutions to a major conflict with potential to undermine environmental protection efforts.