Gabon which is a densely forested African country houses a substantial amount of the worlds surviving forest elephants, it is roughly estimated that there are currently 100,000 forest elephants left over in the world. As the smallest of the specie these elephants have straighter and harder tusks, it is for this reason that poachers have targeted this area. Instead of being killed, these are the elephants that would be greatly enjoyed on safari, on a 4x4.
A recent study done by advocacy groups, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Wildlife Conservation Society, and as well as Gabon’s government shows that almost two thirds of Minkebe National Parks forest elephants have been killed for their tusks since 2004.
Lee White Gabon’s National Parks agency executive secretary said in a statement that had been issued by the Gabon presidency “If we don’t reverse this situation rapidly, the future of the elephants in Africa will be compromised”.
In Asia Ivory is used in jewellery as well as various ornamental items, thus the high demand for it. According to conservationists Chinas increasing investment in Africa is opening the door even further for the illegal trading of elephant tusks.
These elephant poachers are not only ruthless they are dangerous; often armed with chainsaws, large-calibre rifles and various pieces of other weaponry..The chainsaws are what is most used to remove the elephant tusks. According to an announcement made by the presidency, poachers have secret camps within the rainforest and as such they are able to avoid the park guards. They will most likely travel in a rental 4x4. However these poachers never stay in the same camp for too long. They are constantly relocating and the rotting elephant carcasses are always a clear indication that poachers have been in the area.
It is believed that the majority of the poachers in Gabon’s Minkebe National Park come from Cameroon. The government in Cameroon has deployed numerous army helicopters as well as 600 troops to their former safari tourist destination Bouba Ndjida National Park in an attempt to combat the Sudanese horse mounted poachers that have killed an estimated 450 elephants in the region from 2011 up to 2012. These security improvements have been made in an attempt to protect their own decreasing elephant population. The Cameroon government is attempting to make it almost impossible for poachers to operate in Cameroon without being caught.
Corruption Risk
Gabon security has arrested a “gendarme” who had been transporting poached elephant tusks in a government vehicle. This has sparked rumours of corruption due to profitable black market trading.
The head of the World Wildlife Funds anti-poaching campaign in the area, Bas Huijbregts was quoted in saying “If we do not want to lose the last elephants in central Africa, the illicit ivory trade needs to be treated as a grave crime that corrupts governments and seriously undermines economic development and security”
It has been estimated that a staggering 40 tons of illegal Ivory has been seized worldwide in 2011 alone. According to the conservation group TRAFFIC similar figures may be expected for 2012
The U.N. Security council have called for an investigation of the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) in Uganda. This investigation is due to their alleged connection with the trade.
The LRA have been accused of terrorising the country for over two decades by abducting their children and using them as soldiers or worse sex slaves. The terrorist group is led by the warlord Joseph Kony who is currently being man-hunted by the African Union as well as a U.S.-backed military force.
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