Tanzania has launched with UN financial support, a special program
for monitoring of elephants by satellite, as part of efforts to protect
the species which are particularly targeted by poachers, APA learns here
Monday.
Funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the
program first concerns 30 elephants of Ruaha National Park, from now on
equipped with radio transmitters, according to a statement by the
Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA).
According to TANAPA’s CEO, Allan Kijazi, the satellite check will
regularly provide information on the seasonal movement of these
thick-skinned animals and contribute to the implementation of
conservation corridors and dispersal areas for better protection of the
elephants
Moreover, 30 curators and friends of wildlife in Tanzania wrote, last week, to the new Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli, asking him to take “urgent measures” against elephant poaching in the country.
Moreover, 30 curators and friends of wildlife in Tanzania wrote, last week, to the new Tanzanian President John Pombe Magufuli, asking him to take “urgent measures” against elephant poaching in the country.
“50 years ago, Tanzania had 300,000 elephants, against only 109,000
in 2009 and about 43,000 currently”, these friends of wildlife revealed,
reporting a decrease of about 60% every five years.
“Losing elephants is losing an important part of the history and
identity of our country” authors of the letter for whom, poaching
further threatens tourism, an important source of income for the
country, said.
These nature lovers asked the Tanzanian government “to arrest and
prosecute dealers in elephant tusks in Tanzania, whatever their
nationality, their privileges or status”.
According to sources, Tanzanian and foreign diplomats are reported to be involved in the trafficking.
“Persecutions against those involved in elephant tusks smuggling will
dismantle poaching networks”, authors of the open letter to President
Magufuli hope.
They called on the new Tanzanian president to take advantage of “the
historic friendship between Tanzania and China to end elephant tusks
trade in China”.
According to these friends of wildlife, about 90% of smuggled ivory from Tanzania goes to China
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