National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, 2004 (Act No. 10 of 2004)RegulationsNational Norms and Standards for the Management of Elephants in South Africa, 2023 - effective 1 April 2023Chapter 2 : General Management of ElephantsPart 4 : Elephants in controlled environments25. Contraception of captive elephants |
| (1) | The responsible person undertaking a contraception programme in a controlled environment to control the size of an elephant population by reducing the rate of reproduction,must take into account that the use of immunocontraceptive vaccines is not effective in providing immediate reduction in the size of the elephant population. |
| (2) | lmmunocontracepti ve vaccines— |
| (a) | include the use of PZP and GnRH vaccines; |
| (b) | must be administered by a veterinarian; and |
| (c) | may be applied from the air or from the ground. |
| (3) | PZP immunocontraceptive vaccines— |
| (a) | may be used for the purpose of population control in respect of captive female elephants; |
| (b) | can be applied across a broad age range of captive females; and |
| (c) | does not require sedation or immobilization of target females. |
| (4) | GnRH immunocontraceptive vaccines— |
| (a) | should not be used in respect of captive female elephants, until more scientific information becomes available; |
| (b) | should be used only in respect of captive adult elephant bulls to supress testosterone-related aggressive behaviour; |
| (c) | should be used continuously, once introduced in respect of captive adult elephant bulls; and |
| (d) | does not require the immobilization of the target male elephant. |
| (5) | Any causes of non-testosterone aggressive behaviour in captive male elephants should be identified and mitigated. |
| (6) | The efficacy and behavioural effects of immunocontraceptive vaccines on individual elephants must be monitored on an ongoing basis. |
| (7) | The responsible person requiring vasectomy procedures to be undertaken in respect of captive elephant bulls must take into account that— |
| (a) | surgical and laparoscopic vasectomies are not effective in providing immediate reduction in the size of the elephant population; and |
| (b) | that all breeding bulls should be treated to prevent unintended breeding. |
| (8) | Vasectomies— |
| (a) | are complex, highly invasive and irreversible; |
| (b) | should be considered only where no alternative non-lethal option is feasible; and |
| (c) | must be performed by veterinarians. |
| (9) | Side effects of vasectomies on male elephants, and to the extent possible their effects on female elephants, must be monitored on an ongoing basis. |