Elephants in the Dust - The African Elephant Crisis
Available online: http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/elephants/
The African elephant, the largest remaining land mammal on the planet, is facing the greatest crisis in decades. Reports of mass elephant killings in the media vividly illustrate the situation across many African elephant range States. This Rapid Response Assessment provides an overview of the current state of the African elephant alongside recommendations for action to ensure its protection.
Surges in poaching, the illegal ivory trade and accelerating habitat and range loss have put African elephant populations at risk. This Rapid Response Assessment provides an overview of the status of elephants, poaching and illegal ivory trafficking along the entire ivory trade supply chain.
Findings presented here were obtained from a range of sources, including The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme, the Ele phant Trade Information System (ETIS), the IUCN/SSC African Ele phant Specialist Group (AfESG), the African and Asian Elephant Database, the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC), expert consultations and a range of other sources.
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Elephant poaching doubled & illegal ivory trade tripled in recent years
Enhanced law Enforcement, international collaboration and reducing demand required to avert crisis
— Populations of elephants in Africa continue to be under severe threat as the illegal trade in ivory grows - with double the numbers of elephants killed and triple the amounts of ivory seized, over the last decade.
According to a new report entitled “Elephants in the Dust – The African Elephant Crisis”, increasing poaching levels, as well as loss of habitat are threatening the survival of African elephant populations in Central Africa as well as previously secure populations in West, Southern and Eastern Africa.
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