About the human–elephant conflict in Botswana, what did people in the Okavango Delta panhandle have to say from their experience?

This paper assessed human–elephant conflict in the Okavango Delta Panhandle, Botswana, based on semi-structured inter-views of the local residents. It further explores a sustainable alternative in which humans and elephants can co-exist. In 2019, the government of Botswana lifted the country’s 5-year hunting ban. It was a controversial policy change on the hunting moratorium. Many global conservationists argued that the change would have devastating effects on elephant populations in Africa. Local people lauded the decision as a way to protect their livelihoods. Assessment of people’s experiences is significant in identifying the socio-ecological landscape related to wildlife conservation. The data from this study are augmented by global media articles on human–elephant conflict. This paper employs a systems thinking approach in rethinking how human and elephants can co-exist and imagines the potential for a sustainable alternative through ecopedagogy. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021.