Central Africa – Challenges and Opportunities for Elephant Conservation

IUCN/SSC African Elephant Specialist Group

Support at the sub-regional level

• West Africa Ongoing implementation of the MOU between range States for the

implementation of the WAECS, in partnership with CMS Support to national and transboundary elephant conservation initiatives Technical support to proposal preparation throughout the sub-region

• Eastern Africa Submissions to a number of funding agencies for support to the EAECS

• Southern Africa Support to the Elephant Management Action Plan process in Mozambique Support to ZAWA by AfESG member, Colin Craig

• Central Africa Approached COMIFAC for support to the CAECS

Central Africa – Challenges and Opportunities for Elephant Conservation

• Why the Concern?– Reports suggest illegal killing is high (recent media reports out of

Zakouma, Garamba, and others)

– Very little reliable data is available on the status of Central Africa’s elephant populations (either numbers or range)

– No valid comparisons of elephant numbers over time.

– Second lowest population in the sub-region, but holds the majority of Africa’s forest elephants.

– High levels of insecurity throughout the region

Central Africa Elephant Status

Source: African Elephant Status Report 2007 www.african-elephant.org

Threats to elephant populations in Central Africa

Direct Illegal Killing (ivory and bushmeat) Habitat Loss

Indirect Human Elephant Conflict Fragmentation of habitat by roads for logging and mining Roads allow access by hunters (ivory and bushmeat) Armed conflict and insecurity Lack of capacities, including training, law enforcement, funding, and

human resources

Global Economic Downturn Consequences are unknown for conservation at this point

Sub-Regional Activities Currently Underway

1. Central African Elephant Conservation Strategy (CAECS) Completed in 2005, but not currently implemented

2. Ongoing work by range States

3. MIKE sites throughout the sub-region are monitoring illegal killing

4. A number of NGOs doing research and conservation in specific sites

5. Others?

OPPORTUNITIES

1. Sub-regional Strategy ready to be implemented

2. Many organisations involved and committed

3. Possibility for significant multi-species initiatives

4. Private sector is large (funding and partnership opportunities)

5. Climate negotiations could provide opportunities for habitat conservation

6. Commission for the Forests of Central Africa (COMIFAC)

7. Others?