The Hwange Estate is located on the eastern side of Hwange National Park in Matabeleland, the North Province of Zimbabwe. The area has a semi-arid climate with an annual rainfall of approximately 650ml. The Kalahari sand covers the area with a meagre silt fraction. It is the physical description of the Estate of Hwange. The estate has unique elephants which had received protection from Hwange.

In a bid to conserve Zimbabwe’s pride, the former President was keen to ensure that Hwange Estate symbolized his nation’s commitment to protecting the wildlife. He paid tribute to all the public and private officials who shared his dream of preserving these elephants and thanked them for always dedicating themselves to ensuring that the elephants do not face the global challenge of poaching. Poaching is one of the most dangerous threats to wildlife in Africa, especially for Elephants and Rhinos, due to the illegal trade of Ivory. Due to His Excellency’s political goodwill, he ensured that a more significant population brought his dream of ensuring that Zimbabwe’s pride was safeguarded for future generations.

A decree is a rule issued by former President Robert Mugabe directing the public to discuss certain ideologies. In 1990 President Mugabe issued a directive to the Presidential Herd; the order was to rally the Zimbabwe people to ensure the Elephants are protected. This initiative by the head of state was a deliberate effort to show the nation that he was in support of ensuring that Zimbabwe became a unique home to the elephants and that it became an exceptional tourist destination with a ripple effect of boosting the country’s economy.

The genesis of these elephants is traced back to one man, Alan Elliot. He is a conservationist; he is known as the father of the Presidential Elephants of Zimbabwe as he devoted so many years to saving and protecting the particular herd in the Hwange Estate. In the 1970s, the herd comprised 22 adult and baby elephants, and he gave them names, examples being Tatty Ear, Inkosikasi, Lodwar, and Skew Tusk. Alan Elliot had a Safari Company where he began to observe Hwange Estate elephants’ herds on the side. Still, by doing so, he realized that one herd had become too friendly. This situation Alan considered dangerous and the desire to grant them a special status. He was concerned about their safety and hence approached the head of state to give the animals’ protection to what is now famously known as the Presidential Elephants.

Debbie Grant was also another essential key player who was a conservationist. Debbie was passionate about ensuring that she left the environment in a better way than she found it. Debbie brought Alan Elliot’s idea of studying and protecting the elephants to live. Allan employed her as a researcher. She would spend a better part of her time with the elephants studying their social structure and family groups. She is also one of the advisors to the Presidential Elephant Research Trust.

A woman from Australia in 2001 took the reins from the former conservationists Allan Elliott and Debbie Grant. She continued with the dream that her predecessors shared, like Debbie. After this lovely individual had left, the elephants’ research and study were now left to a research trust, the Presidential Elephant Research Trust (PERT).

It was Allan Elliott’s dream; to one day establish a research project on the estate. The establishment of PERT is a dream come true, where current and future can learn and understand the current threats to the elephants and come up with measures that will ensure that these species do not face extinction.