Page 6 - EIA Report on Tanzanian African Ivory Smuggling 2014 report
P. 6
SOURCE: TANZANIA
“Once mighty herds TANZANIA SITUATION elephants lived in the Selous.17
are being devastated In the Ruaha-Rungwa ecosystem, a
by remorseless The current situation for Tanzania’s population decline of 37 per cent has
criminal organisations elephant population is dire in the been recorded from 31,625 in 2009 to
… to feed the extreme. The country has lost half of 20,090 in 2013.18
ivory trade.” its elephants in the past five years and
two-thirds since 2006. Available The overwhelming cause of this
5 evidence indicates it has since lost catastrophic decline is poaching to
more elephants to poaching than any feed the ivory trade. Poachers are
other country in Africa and is the responsible for 60 to 90 per cent of
biggest source of illegal ivory seized elephant deaths in Tanzania’s wildlife
around the world. Its once mighty herds reserves.19 For example, 90 per cent
are being devastated by remorseless of the carcasses found in the Ruaha-
criminal organisations. Rungwa area in 2011 were due to
poaching.20 In 2013 alone, Tanzania
A similar situation occurred in the reportedly lost 10,000 elephants,
1970s and ’80s when Tanzania equivalent to 30 a day.21
witnessed an escalation of elephant
poaching, causing its population to Vast amounts of ivory are being
crash from 110,000 to 55,000.14 smuggled out of Tanzania to supply
After the adoption of the 1989 ivory the illicit markets in Asia. Seizure
trade ban, the elephant population in data reveals that Tanzania has been
Tanzania increased to about 142,788 by implicated in more large flows of ivory
2006, with over half found in the Selous than any other country.22 INTERPOL
ecosystem, a World Heritage Site.15 recently found that a significant portion
of ivory reaching international markets
In 2009, it was estimated that the in Asia is derived from elephant
elephant population in Tanzania had populations in Tanzania.23
decreased to about 109,051.16 This
downward trend has continued at an The scale of elephant poaching and
alarming rate, with the most recent ivory trafficking in Tanzania has serious
population surveys conducted in 2013 security and economic implications for
revealing the devastating degree of the country. Tourism, dominated by
decline. The Selous elephant population wildlife safaris, is a major source of
fell by 66 per cent in just over four revenue for Tanzania, generating almost
years, from 38,975 in 2009 to 13,084 US$2 billion a year.24 Declining elephant
in 2013, the lowest ever recorded populations and the presence of armed
since 1976 when more than 100,000 poachers in protected areas could
jeopardise tourism growth.
