Mozambique elephant numbers rise 50% to over 22,000

The National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) announced that Mozambique now hosts an estimated 22,718 elephants, a 50 % increase from the 9,122 recorded in 2018. The figure comes from a national elephant census carried out between September and November 2025, which also showed a sharp drop in carcass rates, indicating improved conservation outcomes.

The southern region contains about 53 % of the population, while the central and northern zones hold the remainder. ANAC warned that expanding agriculture, settlements, logging and mining continue to pressure elephant habitats and could heighten human–elephant conflicts as the human population grows. The director‑general, Pejul Calenga, highlighted the need for coexistence mechanisms and noted that the rising numbers present opportunities for wildlife‑based tourism and additional revenue for local communities and the state.

The census was funded by Sweden’s biodiversity programme and involved the Eduardo Mondlane University. ANAC also pointed to the role of trans‑frontier parks, such as the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, in supporting the southern population’s growth.