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Mali’s Desert Elephants, on Edge of Annihilation, Get a Fighting Chance
- knight17 9y agoThere is a link between power structures and illegal activity. It is heartening to see this positive development where both government and communities are working together. As the article suggested, the poachers along with the entire network of supply chain [0] of illegal ivory trade should be dismantled by prosecuting all those who are involved, else this will only be a temporary gain. After narcotics and weapons, animal trafficking is listed as the most lucrative illicit trade commodity. [1] Countries like Tanzania should take note. The Economist reports [2] that "Every third poached elephant in Africa dies on the watch of Tanzania’s president, Jakaya Kikwete". Just two months back, Wayne Lotter, an elephant conservationist was shot dead in Tanzania [3]. The solution is not easy: "a gate-keeper state” run by corrupt politicians, with wildlife policy too heavily influenced by “prima-bwanas” – heads of international NGOS. Local people get left out. Poorer, marginal communities’ land and grazing rights get nibbled away. They have lived alongside elephants for centuries but are being neglected and excluded. Vulnerable, they succumb to the offer of money so they can live. Supporting and strengthening communities so they can manage wildlife responsibly from the bottom up, with some controlled hunting, is an argument that many wildlife experts have come to see is the only long term viable solution." [0] 0 : http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2017/01/27/book-review-ivory-power-and-poaching-in-africa-by-keith-somerville/ http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2017/01/27/book-review-iv... 1 : https://www.cfr.org/blog/lords-resistance-army-and-elephant-poaching https://www.cfr.org/blog/lords-resistance-army-and-elephant-... 2 : https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21631202-claims-links-between-politicians-and-poachers-merit-further-investigation-big https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/216312... 3 : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/17/leading-elephant-conservationist-ivory-shot-dead-in-tanzania https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/17/leading-... https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/tackling-illicit-african-wildlife-trade https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/tackling-illicit-african-wi...
- neximo64 9y agoSlight note, Tanzania's president is not Jakaya Kikwete.
- LoSboccacc 9y agoSo guns do work as deterrent?
- ionised 9y agoDo you have an elephant poaching problem in the US?
- LoSboccacc 9y agodid I mentioned the US?
- vinceguidry 9y agoThe leader of the new anti-poaching group, Rory Young, is active on Quora, when he can anyway, and his writing is gripping. If you join Quora for no other reason, you should join it for his posts: https://www.quora.com/profile/Rory-Young-1 https://www.quora.com/profile/Rory-Young-1
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- gaius 9y agoThe US Army Rangers would be ideal for this work.
- lorenzfx 9y agoI know you are joking, but it's not that far fetched https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/30/us-army-veterans-find-peace-protecting-rhinos-poaching-south-africa https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/30/us-army-...