Elephants Decline

The number of elephants being killed for their ivory has stabilized but overall species numbers have continued to decline.

20:24 06 March 2016

According to latest official figures for 2015, poachers are killing more elephants than are born every year, leading to the decline of the overall number of the species.

 

A program called Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE), released their data suggesting the rise in the number of elephant deaths, which peaked in 2011. Although the numbers have stabilised since then, the level remains “unacceptably high overall.”

 

There were 14,606 recorded deaths in 2015.

 

"African elephant populations continue to face an immediate threat to their survival from unacceptably high levels of poaching for their ivory, especially in Central and West Africa where high levels of poaching are still evident," said John Scanlon, CITES Secretary General.

 

"There are some encouraging signs, including in certain parts of Eastern Africa, such as in Kenya, where the overall poaching trends have declined, showing us all what is possible through a sustained and collective effort with strong political support."

 

He added: "The momentum generated over the past few years is translating into deeper and stronger efforts to fight these crimes on the front line, where it is needed most - from the rangers in the field, to police and customs at ports of entry and exit and across illicit markets.”

 

"Governments must continue to strengthen these front line efforts, whilst the UN, other intergovernmental bodies and civil society must further enhance their much needed support, if we are to move from stabilising to reversing the devastating poaching trends of the past decade."