In June, almost 4,151 buffalo positions were recorded in GNAP. The buffalo, which last month moved completely west, close to crops and villages, about 30 km from the Buffer Zone and 50 km from the park, now appear to be well established in the area. The animals are also controlled to prevent potential risks of conflict with villagers.
Irregularities in the functioning of GPS collars are increasingly observed. “It is not uncommon for some collars to stop transmitting for 24 or 48 hours and then start working again. Whenever the collar stops working for more than 24 hours, a team of rangers goes to the last location recorded by the collar to assess the situation, look for signs of buffalo movement and check for signs of illegal activity,” explains Cécile Sérié-Mérel from the Fondation François Sommer, which has been monitoring buffalo movements since last year.