Poaching Still Decimates African Elephants – UNEP

The United Nations Environment programme (UNEP) says finding from census shows clearly that poaching is still decimating elephants herds across Africa.

Similarly, the Rivers State Government has been urged to evolve measures towards preserving the elephants in Andoni forest.

A statement from the UNEP Deputy Head, Ibrahim Thiaw said the “Great Elephant Census” showed showed African Savanna Elephant population declined by 30 per cent between 2007 and 2017.

“The finding of the Great Elephant censes showed clearly that poaching is still decimating elephant hards across the African.

“This practice makes no sense on my levels, moral, economic or political “Elephants are already locally extinct in my own country and I do not want to see this happen everywhere else, an imminent possibility in Cameroun and Mali and further down the line of other countries, unless we accelerate action.

“There is reason for hope, population in some African nations are declining and slightly or even increasing”, he said.

Thiaw said that support for tackling the crises was increasingly backed by a growing public, political and private sector force for change, such as the wild for life campaign.

“Across Africe, nations are starting to see that wildlife is worth more alive than dead; and that it can generate revenue, tourism for example to fund the education, healthcare and infrastructure that will improve human well-being and drive economic growth.

Meanwhile, a community leader in Andoni Local Government Area, Chief Awajiokunye Mbosowo Ukuma, has urged both the federal and Rivers State Governments to put in place measures towards conserving the elephants in Andoni forest.

Speaking in an interview with The Tide at Ngo headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Chief Ukumor decried the rate of poaching in the area, stressing that something must be done to save elephants in Andoni forest from becoming extinct.

He commended the United Nations for effort to preserve wildlife across the world and urged for the effort to be extended to Andoni in Rivers State.