Africa: Concerted Efforts to Save Elephants from Poachers
By George Okore
NAIROBI---In order to save her elephants from extinction, African countries have vowed to foster cooperating to combat poaching and ivory trafficking in the continent.
Despite few countries having signed and ratified the Nairobi based Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) to fight elephant poaching and other environmental crimes, delegate attending the African Elephant Law Enouncement Day on Wednesday vowed to save the world largest animal spices. Ahead of the day, Kenyan Wildlife and Forestry Minister Dr Noah Wekesa on Monday launched Africa Elephant Enforcement Special Account (AELESA) to mobilize resources towards conservation of African elephant.
The fund will support elephant conservation efforts in Lusaka member States, but will be eventually extended to other elephant range states in Africa. So far, four countries Congo Brazzaville, Kenya, Liberia, Lesotho have ratified the protocol while five others Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda and South Africa have signed but not ratified the treaty.
LATF Director Bonaventure Ebayi says information sharing is crucial in combating wildlife crime in Africa. Consequently, he says member states have launched Wildlife Enforcement Monitoring Systems (WEMS). In collaboration with United Nations University and University of Twente in the Netherlands, WEMS will strengthen information and reporting processes as well analyze international wildlife trade.
Leading by example, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Wednesday set ablaze 4.9 tones of elephant tusks, sending strong warning to poachers. This is the third time the ivory stockpile is being burnt in Africa. Wildlife has for many years been Kenya’s foreign exchange earner, with thousands of tourists visiting the county to view wildlife, especially the famed big five - Lions, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and Buffalo.
The move comes a time when Kenyan elephant and other wildlife are facing a great conservation crisis due to several factors including habitat loss, overhunting, pollution, overpopulation, environment degradation and the threat of global climate change. Coupled with international factors like terrorism and attendant insecurity, tourism is under severe risks.
Despite efforts made by Kenya Wild life Service (KWS), conservancies and animal orphanages to raise and restock certain endangered species, Kenyan wildlife is facing intense threats from poachers. Last November, heavily armed poachers raided Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, killing a rhino and walking away with horns. Such incidences are common in neighboring countries.
To illustrate the magnitude of the problem, Kenyan security forces recently arrested four poachers with elephant tusks, rhino horns and game meat, a reminder of the painful way the animals were killed. The suspects were caught with sophiscated guns, night vision equipments, meaning that it’s a very elaborate syndicate operating in the country.
Kenya belongs to Convention of Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement between governments aimed in ensuring that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Investigations reveal that most of these animals are illegally exported to mainly Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Philippines, Taiwan and Vietman. Such exports of illegal animal parts are facilitated through fraudulent shipping documents.
KWS Director General Julius Kipngetich says there are concerted regional efforts to prevent trade in trophies from wild animals and plant species. However as the country puts in place enough safeguards, increased poaching is very worrisome. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) statistics paints remarkable increase over years, stimulated by high demand in many Asian countries.