African ElephantConservation ActSummary Report1998-2000

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

African ElephantConservation ActSummary Report1998-2000

“The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working withothers to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and theirhabitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”

Cover:Savanna elephant

Photographs in this report, unless otherwise indicated, have been provided byRichard Ruggiero copyright ©

Introduction

The African elephant isconsidered a “keystonespecies”: that is, one thatplays a pivotal role in theecosystem. As modifiers oftheir habitat, elephants aresecond only to humans.Many scientists believe thatthe ecological integrity ofAfrican savannas and forestsdepends, to a large extent, onthe presence of elephants.Their disappearance mayproduce a cascade of changesin the environment that areas yet poorly understood.

A popular symbol of size and power, theimage of the elephant has been used bypeople through recorded history. Fewspecies evoke the imagination andemotions, as does the African elephant.Today, a wide range of opinions andphilosophies exists as to whether thisgreat beast is a threat to human life andproperty and should be eliminated; or arepresentative of a natural ecosystem thatshould be preserved at all costs; orsomething in between requiringenlightened management andconservation. Elephant numbers appear tohave stabilized and even grown in someareas of the African continent during thelast decade. In other parts of their range,civil war, rampant poaching, and loss ofhabitat have caused populations to crash.Over much of their range, the ever-increasing human population is cominginto greater conflict with elephants. Agrowing commercial bushmeat trade alsois pushing some elephant populationstoward regional extinction.

The complexities of the current status ofthe African elephant defy simple solutions.Practical management and conservationstrategies, based on solid scientificinformation, and an understanding of thehuman element in elephant conservation,offer the best hope for the future ofAfrica’s greatest living mammal.

This report presents a summary andhighlights of the work supported by theAfrican Elephant Conservation Fund(Fund) from 1998 to 2000. The Fund isadministered and coordinated by theDivision of International Conservation,U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service),Department of the Interior.

Forest elephants

Background:Elephant poached© Richard RuggieroLeft:Detached elephant tusk© Richard RuggieroRight:Ivory ProductsU.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Background

The African elephant (Loxodontaafricana) and humans have had a pro-found association throughout recordedhistory. Sometimes feared, and oftenrevered, elephants have been an integralpart of African life and culture for millen-nia. Sought as a source of food and skins,they have played an important role in thelives of innumerable civilizations. But thevalue of their ivory is thought to have ledto the first case of their overexploitationby Romans. By A.D. 50, the Romans hadexhausted most of the elephantpopulations in North Africa, and wereforced to turn to East Africa and Asia forlarge tusks. Later, as trade with Africadeveloped, ivory became one of thatcontinents most sought-after commodities.

It is difficult to overestimate the role ofivory trade in African history andeconomics. In recent history, the price ofivory climbed steeply, particularly in the1970’s when ivory was collected as a hedgeagainst inflation. The price of a kilogram(kg) hovered at approximately $5.50 andmoved up slightly to about $7.50 by 1970.However, by 1978 the price had skyrock-eted to almost $75 per kg and, by 1989, itfetched $150 per kg in Africa and up to$400 per kg in Japan. This stimulated anenormous upsurge in organized poachingand ivory trafficking networks. In the late1970’s, Africa is thought to have been thehome of about 1.3 million elephants; thetotal elephant population can only beestimated in decades prior to the 1970’s.By the end of the 1980’s numbers fell by 50percent, mostly as a result of ivorypoaching.

In response to this crisis, the Conventionon the International Trade in EndangeredSpecies (CITES) listed the Africanelephant first on Appendix III in 1976, andthen on Appendix II shortly thereafter,which allows commercial trade of a specieswith a series of permits. In 1978, theAfrican elephant was listed as threatenedunder the U.S. Endangered Species Act.As evidence of the species’ populationdecline continued to accumulate, theAfrican elephant was raised to CITESAppendix I in 1989—a status that listedLoxodonta africana as a species threat-ened with extinction and allows for no

commercial trade. This change, with someminor exceptions, legally banned trade oflive elephants or their products forcommercial purposes between CITESsignatory countries.

At the time of the ESA listing, the UnitedStates accounted for about 30 percent ofthe world’s carved ivory. Because someexperts believed that nearly 80 percent ofall ivory was attributable to poaching,consumer purchases in the United Statesequated to thousands of dead elephants asthe population declined by nearly 9percent a year. Had that trend continued,the African elephant would have beenannihilated throughout much of its rangeby the end of the 20th century.

The Congress of the United States passedthe African Elephant Conservation Act(AfECA) in October 1988. The AfECAprovides for: (1) the review of Africanelephant conservation programs in eachivory producing country and the establish-ment of a moratorium on ivory from anycountry that fails to maintain an adequateelephant conservation program; and (2)the development of a grant program toprovide financial assistance to supportprotection, conservation, and managementof African elephants. In accordance withthe first provision, United States Presi-dent George H. Bush established amoratorium on all ivory imports in June1989. Although several range countriesmaintain adequate conservation programs,no effective mechanism exists to controlinternational trade in ivory products. Tothis day the moratorium remains in effect.

In 1997, successful management ofelephants and their population growth insome southern African countries wasrecognized by down-listing elephantpopulations in Botswana, Namibia, andZimbabwe to CITES Appendix II. Amonitored one-time sale to Japan ofregistered ivory stocks took place in April1999. At the April 2000 CITES Conferenceof the Parties in Nairobi, Kenya, theelephant population of the Republic ofSouth Africa was also down-listed toAppendix II, but further sales of ivorywere not authorized.

Top to Bottom:Commercial bushmeat truck in CentralAfricaShotguns confiscated from poachersStacks of tropical hardwood for export

Many forested regions incentral Africa are beingaltered by large-scale logging.As new roads cut intopreviously inaccessibleforest, wildlife harvestingbegins to occur atunsustainable rates.Elephants are among thefirst species impacted bythese activities.

The current threat to African elephantpopulations varies significantly from onearea to another. During a period whensome areas in southern Africa have stableor increasing populations, East Africa haslost 65 percent of its elephants, generallydue to civil wars and political instability.This is particularly true in central Africa,where poaching elephants for “bushmeat”may be a greater threat than ivorypoaching. The proliferation of weapons anddisplacement of large numbers of peoplecontribute to this rapidly increasingthreat. The economic plight of manyAfrican nations undermines the ability ofrange countries to support their nationalparks and protected areas. Drought andother natural cycles also place increasedemands on an already stressedenvironment.

Development and human populationgrowth also impact the future of elephantsand other wildlife in Africa. As ruralpopulations grow, the need for newagricultural lands and water also grows.This often results in competition betweenhumans and elephants for commonresources. Human-elephant conflictinvariably results.

As more pressure is put on theenvironment and elephant populations, thegreater the demand for effectiveprotection and management. It is essentialto know and understand how manyelephants there are, where and why theymove the long distances they do, and whatare the threats to them. In the short term,protection of threatened elephantpopulations is of utmost importance. Inthe longer term, effective land-useplanning and protected area management,conservation education, and wiseinternational policy are crucial. Thescientific knowledge necessary for allthese activities must continue to develop.The needs of local people, who livealongside elephants, are also of paramountimportance. Meeting the complexchallenge of elephant conservation in thenew millennium demands a multi-facetedapproach. Through the African ElephantConservation Fund and in cooperation withgovernments of elephant range states, aswell as non-governmental organizationsand local individuals, the United Statesseeks to play an important role in helpingthis magnificent species survive for futuregenerations to enjoy and celebrate.

African ElephantConservation Fund

The AfECA created the African ElephantConservation Fund (Fund) as the mecha-nism through which the United Statesprovides financial assistance to protect andconserve African elephants. This actauthorized an amount not to exceed $5million for each fiscal year from 1989 to1993, to be appropriated to the Fund,thereby establishing a grant program. TheAfECA was re-authorized in 1996 tocontinue this level of authorization throughthe year 2002. Congress appropriated$2,994,000 from 1998-2000. During thisperiod, the Fund has supported 48 grants(51 projects) in 18 countries, leveraging$6,454,604 in matching and in-kind support.

The AfECA established specific criteriafor project proposals, as well as projectreview and approval. Additionally theConference Report, adopted with passageof the AfECA, identified priority fundingactions. The Service uses these criteriaand direction in administering the Fund.Projects are evaluated for funding basedon the following criteria:

Projects with African GovernmentAgenciesThe Fund encourages African governmentagencies responsible for African elephantconservation to submit proposals. Propos-als submitted by non-governmentalorganizations or the private sector mustinclude evidence of support by governmen-tal entities of countries where the projectsare to be conducted. The Service worksthrough the U.S. Department of State tocoordinate local government participation.

Projects Directed at Anti-PoachingAssistance to halt the poaching ofelephants was identified by the AfECA asmost urgently needed for Africancountries.

Projects that Address Country ElephantConservation PlansThe Fund encourages development ofbiologically sound conservation programs.It also establishes criteria that prioritize

projects leading to effective managementand conservation strategies. Aninternational coordination group hasassisted some range countries to developcountry conservation plans, while othercountries have produced theirsindependently. The goal is to provideAfrican governments with a strategy tomaintain ecologically viable elephantpopulations. Elephant conservation plansidentify country-specific actions requiredto maintain elephant populations atsustainable levels.

Projects in each Sub-regionThe Fund recognizes that elephants helpmaintain the biological diversity of Africaand encourages all range states in the fourgeographic African sub-regions to supportits conservation. It also recognizes thatsome African countries have effectiveelephant conservation programs, butmany others lack sufficient resources toproperly manage, conserve, and protectelephant populations.

Projects with Matching FundsThe Fund accepts donations to provideassistance to projects funded under thegrant program. Priority is given tocooperative projects with matching fundsor in-kind support from other sources,and/or interim support for projects withfuture funding secured.

The concept of prioritizing projects thathave matching or in-kind funds wasmandated by the congressional action thatcreated the Fund. As a result, the$11,129,766 provided by the Fund, since itsinception, has been supplemented by$51,743,750 in matching and in-kindsupport. This synergy permits thecreation of projects with more diversifiedand sustainable support over the life oftheir field activities, and enables a widerscope of projects to be funded.

Savanna elephant

On-the-GroundResultsProtection ofElephants and theirHabitats

Garamba National Park, one of Africa’sgreatest parks, is best known for itspopulation of the last remaining northernwhite rhinos (Ceratotherium simumcottoni). It also is the home of animportant elephant population in a mosaicof forests and grasslands that produces arich diversity of habitats and wildlifecommunities. The park faces severethreats due to civil unrest in theDemocratic Republic of Congo andorganized, large-scale poaching for ivoryand bushmeat. Present conditions makeworking in the park complicated anddifficult. To address these conservationproblems, the African ElephantConservation Fund cooperates with theInstitut Congolais pour la Conservationde la Nature and the International RhinoFoundation to augment park protectionand surveillance efforts.

Besides being the largest landanimal, they comprise themajority of biomass in someareas. In the equatorialforest, elephants createpathways through densevegetation that mayotherwise be impenetrable tosmaller animals. They knockdown trees and formopenings in the canopy thatallow sunligh to reach theground, thereby stimulatingthe growth of vegetation.They consume largequantities of fruits anddisperse seeds over greatdistances.

Seedlings in elephant droppings

Decomplosing forest elephant skull

One of the greatest impediments toconserving elephants in West Africa is thelack of trained field biologists. To addressthis problem, the Fund supportedConservation International’s West AfricaProgram and two host countries toconserve and manage populations ofAfrican forest elephants in KakumNational Park (Ghana) and MarahoueNational Park (Côte d’Ivoire). Thisinitiative provided advanced training forbiologists in survey techniques, populationestimation, habitat analysis, and otheressential management skills. Field workby researchers in Kakum NP also testedand compared two methodologies used toestimate forest elephant numbers—theconventional dung count methods and aninnovative technique using genetic analysis(under an additional project supported bythe Fund to the University of California atSan Diego). The resulting information onelephant numbers and movements is usedto determine the relationship betweenelephant habitat use within the parks andhuman land use in surrounding areas.Based on this program, current elephantmanagement and conservation issues, aswell as future research may now beaddressed in both parks.

Training andCapacity-Building

Dense forest vegetationmakes it difficult to findelephant carcasses even atclose range, thereforeconventional transecttechniques are ofteninadequate to addresselephant mortality.

Surveys andMonitoring ofElephant Populations

CITES-Mandated Monitoring of the IllegalKilling of Elephants [MIKE]This agreement provides support toconduct the CITES-Mandated Monitoringof Elephants and Illegal Elephant Killing(MIKE) Central African Pilot Program, incooperation with the Wildlife ConservationSociety and the CITES Secretariat. Theproject builds capacity at the local andnational levels in the Central African sub-region. It provides training,equipment, and development ofmethodology, which produces field data inselected sites. When extended over the fullrange of MIKE sites, these and othertechniques will be used to detect trends inthe distribution of elephants, their relativenumbers, and the factors affecting them,in particular, illegal killing. This pilotelephant-monitoring project is conductedin selected forested areas in the Republicof Gabon, Republic of Congo, DemocraticRepublic of the Congo, Central AfricanRepublic, and the Republic of Cameroon.

Forest Elephant Study-Dzanga ClearingThe forest elephant population in the areaof Dzanga-Sangha Reserve and theDzanga-Ndoki National Park, CentralAfrican Republic, is considered one of themost important on the continent. It is thesubject of the most extensive study offorest elephant ecology and social behaviorever undertaken. The long-termmonitoring aspect of this work producesdetailed and accurate information onpopulation trends that guide conservationefforts in the national park and the region.To date, more than 2,600 elephants havebeen individually identified. Records ofbirths, deaths, and social behavior permitconservationists to accurately estimatepopulation numbers and growth rates, aswell as study elephant movements into theother protected areas in the Sangha RiverTri-national Conservation Area.

Forest elephants

Elephants excavate soil forwater and minerals, makingthem available to smalleranimals. Their activities arebelieved to maintain forestopenings that are rich inminerals and provideterrestrial forage fornumerous species. Theselarge openings in dense forestcanopy play an essential rolein the ecology of some centralAfrican forests. Withoutelephants to keep these areasopen, they are quicklyovergrown by trees andshrubs and may no longerprovide nutritious vegetationand minerals to other forestfauna.

A herd of Central African elephants crossinga fllodplain at dusk

Nouabalé-Ndoki Forest Elephant ProjectThis partnership facilitates appliedresearch on African forest elephant(Loxodonta africana cyclotis) populationsin and around Nouabalé-Ndoki NationalPark, Republic of the Congo. It providesdetailed information on seasonalmovements and distribution of elephants,particularly in relation to ecological andhuman interference factors such aslogging, poaching, and human settlement.The project goal is accomplished bytracking elephants with global positioningsystem and radio collars; extensivegroundwork following and mappingelephant trails; and noting the appearanceof elephant forage species. Researchersuse aircraft to facilitate location of collaredelephants and downloading data stored intheir collars. Overflights also produceuseful videographic data in areasimportant to elephants. There is anextensive training component in thisproject to enhance the ability of Congoleseconservation biologists and parkecoguards to manage elephants. Theinformation gained in this study willincrease the government of Congo’scapacity to conserve elephants and theirhabitat in this important area inCentral Africa.

Applied Research-Movements andBehavior

Elephant trails in drygrasslands form a sort of“fire break” that may limitthe extent and severity ofgrass fires—thereby favoringregeneration of treeseedlings. But elephants alsodamage or destroy trees andshrubs. This is part of thenatural cycle—except whereelephant numbers havebecome artificiallyconcentrated due to humanactivity. In these places,elephants are capable oftransforming woodlands intograsslands with considerableeffects on other wildlifespecies, to the benefit of someand the detriment of others.

Applied Research

Non-invasive Genotyping of AfricanElephants in GhanaThe Fund collaborates with researchersfrom the University of California and theirassociates in the field to conduct appliedgenetic research on non-invasivegenotyping of African elephants(Loxodonta africana) based on dungsamples. This technique is purported to be100 times more informative than previ-ously applied methods. It will enableresearchers to refine methodologies anddevelop new applications for populationcensus and genetic profiling. Populationgenetics information will provide wildlifemanagers with baseline data formonitoring genetic erosion and inbreeding,and help plan translocations whennecessary. Current research usespopulation samples from Ghana’s forestelephants in Kakum National Park andsavanna elephants in Mole National Park.Comparing data from these discretepopulations will help establish whetherAfrican elephants should be managed asone or two taxa and estimate the extent ofhybridization between the two subspeciesin Ghana and elsewhere in Africa.

Acoustic Monitoring of Forest ElephantsMethodologies currently available tomonitor forest elephants are expensiveand, in many cases, only provide roughpopulation estimates. The purpose of thisproject is to develop and conduct appliedresearch on infrasonic communication byelephants and its application for researchand monitoring of elephants in the forestsof west and central Africa. Research andmonitoring are difficult or impossible inthe dense tropical forests. Such technol-ogy represents an extremely valuable toolthat may permit conservationists todetermine elephant movements andrelative habitat occupancy, behavior(including reproductive and other socialactivities), monitor poaching activities, andestimate elephant numbers. Currently,data is collected using autonomous

recording devices that are deployed in theforest at strategic locations and thenanalyzed in the laboratory. A goal of thisproject is to develop the ability to analyzedata in real time. This information could beused to warn park security forces aboutdangers to elephants, as well as indicatethe presence and activities of crop-raidingelephants. In addition, analysis of storeddata could denote particularcircumstances experienced by elephants(i.e. movements, stress, reproductiveactivity), and relative numbers anddistribution. Work is being conducted inKakum National Park, Ghana, and Dzanga-Sangha National Park, Central AfricanRepublic (both sites of other AfECFsupported projects). The resultingtechnology may form the basis of a much-needed new way to monitor forestelephants in Africa and Asia.

Non-lethal Control of African ElephantPopulations in South AfricaIn order to reduce damage to theenvironment caused by over-abundantelephant populations, several managementtools exist. Translocation may be of valuein certain circumstances, but itsapplications are limited. Some countrieshave previously resorted to cullingelephants to reduce populations. Thepurpose of this grant is to support appliedresearch in Kruger National Park,Republic of South Africa, to development anon-lethal control of African elephantpopulations by means of immuno-contraception. The technique underdevelopment uses Porcine ZonaPellucida(PZP) vaccination to inhibitfertility among female elephants. Thistechnique may provide a humane methodof limiting reproduction in areas whereother population control measures areinappropriate or undesirable. The study isa technical collaboration betweenZooMontana (Billings, MT), the Universityof Georgia (Athens, GA), and KrugerNational Park (Republic of South Africa).

Forest elephant

People, Elephants, andConservation in theGreater AmboseliEcosystem

The African Wildlife Foundation, inpartnership with the Fund and hostcountry conservationists, is conductingapplied research and communityconservation activities in support of theconservation and management of Africanelephant populations in the area aroundAmboseli National Park, Kenya. Theproject provides detailed information onseasonal movements and distribution ofelephants, particularly in relation tohuman settlements. Researchers arestudying these subjects and attempting toresolve elephant-human conflicts in thegreater Amboseli Ecosystem. These goalswill be accomplished by tracking GPS-collared elephants, conducting aerialsurveys, and implementing outreachprogram with local Maasai communities.These activities will enhance elephantrange by reducing competition withhumans for common resources andthereby help relieve elephantovercrowding within the national park.

Massai women and children

Survival of elephants will bedetermined by humans andwhether we will control ourappetites for more land andwildlife products.

Elephants pose enormous problems tosubsistence farmers in many places. TheEcology and Deterrence of Crop-RaidingElephants in the Mid-Zambezi Valley,Zimbabwe, initiative is a program to studyand manage human-elephant conflict in theMuzarabani Rural District, Zimbabwe.Communities in this area have agriculturalholdings subject to depredations byresident and migrant elephant herds. TheFund supported research on themovements, behavior, and habitat use ofcrop-raiding elephants, with the goal ofdeveloping effective prevention anddeterrent strategies. It extends workperformed under previous grants by theFund and supports Rural DistrictCouncils, which manage elephant herdsand create management plans based onextensive data on the behavior of crop-raiding elephants. Local partners are alsoexperimenting with their recentlydeveloped elephant deterrant, whichcontains a harmless product made of anextract of locally grown peppers.

Reduction ofHuman-ElephantConflict

Women working agricultural field next toforest habitat in the Congo

Mitigating human-elephantconflict may ultimatelydetermine the survival of theAfrican elephant.

Monitoring and Mitigating the Impact ofElephant on Agriculture in SouthernGabon IIIWorld Wildlife Fund US, $79,000 +$88,942—An investigation into all aspectsof crop raiding by elephants in the GambaProtected Area Complex, Gabon, with thegoal of producing an effective managementand conservation plan.

Applied Elephant Research in theNouabalé-Ndoki Forest for Managementand ConservationWildlife Conservation Society, $91,800 +$103,100—Research project on theseasonal elephant migration patterns,upon which future elephant managementand conservation decisions will be based inthe Nouabalé-Ndoki NP and surroundingSangha River Tri-national Region.

Post-War Rehabilitation of MinimalInfrastructure in the Reserve de Fauned’Okapi, (RFO) Democratic Republic ofthe CongoWildlife Conservation Society, $60,000 +$60,000—A project for the rehabilitation ofthe infrastructure of the Reserve de Fauned’Okapi that was destroyed during theCongolese civil war. Elephant securityactivities are included in this project.

Support to the African ElephantSpecialist GroupThe African Elephant Specialist Group/IUCN, $122,000 + $122,000—Support toenable the African Elephant SpecialistGroup (AfESG) to serve more effectivelyas technical advisors on the conservationand management of the African elephantand its habitat.

Non-lethal Control of African ElephantPopulations By Means of Immuno-contraception IHumane Society of the United States,$75,000 + $28,350—A feasibility study tomeasure the efficacy of an immuno-contraceptive vaccine in the inhibition ofreproduction among African elephants inKruger NP, South Africa.

Supplemental Anti-poaching Assistanceto Zimbabwe for the Lower ZambeziValleySouthern Africa Wildlife Trust $74,849 +$136,024—A grant to provide Zimbabwe’santi-poaching personnel with adequatenon-lethal equipment with which tointerdict heavily-armed elephant ivorypoachers.

Elephant Crop Damage Control in RedVolta Valley, GhanaGhana Wildlife Department, $23,000 +$36,230—A program to monitor thedistribution and numbers of elephants inthe Red Volta Valley, Ghana, and evaluate

Summary of Grants1998-2000

Bold/italic type within

individual summary

indicates project matching

funds.

NP=National Park

various elephant deterrence techniques toreduce crop raiding.

Forest Elephant Study, The DzangaClearing III, Central African RepublicThe Wildlife Conservation Society, $43,500+ $43,500—Research and data collectionincluding the size, demographics,morphometrics, genetics, social structure,social behavior and ecology for animportant forest elephant population inthe Dzanga-Sangha Reserve.

Tracking the Origin of African ElephantIvory through Geographic Mapping ofAllele FrequenciesWoodland Park Zoological Society, $61,908+ $134,090—A study to produce a methodfor tracking the geographical origin ofAfrican elephant ivory and to developgeographic maps of allele frequencydistributions.

Continuing Dialogue Among AfricanElephant Range States - Dialogue IIIIUCN/Species Survival Programme$86,795.23 + $176,350—The administrationof the Third Dialogue of the Range Statesof the African Elephant, in Arusha,Tanzania, September 1998.

Confiscated ivory and an AK-47 used to poach elephants

Projects Funded ByProgram Area(continued)

National Elephant Planning Workshopand Drafting of the National ElephantManagement Plan for MozambiqueIUCN—The World Conservation Union,$13,825 + $20,738—Conduct a workshop, inclose cooperation with the MozambicanWildlife Department, to formulate aframework and strategy for the nationalelephant management plan, and toproduce a list of prioritized activitiesrequired to implement the plan.

Non-invasive Genotyping of AfricanElephants in GhanaUniversity of California, San Diego, $34,897+ $35,071—A program of applied geneticresearch for non-invasive genotyping ofAfrican elephants based on dung samples.

Support to CAMPFIRE II in ZimbabweSafari Club International, $63,166 +$63,182—Assistance to communityactivities to conserve elephants throughthe CAMPFIRE Program (CommunalAreas Management Program forIndigenous Resources).

Economics of Elephant-Human Conflictin Caprivi, NamibiaUniversity of California-Davis, c/oDirectorate of Environmental Affairs,Ministry of Environment and Tourism,$13,300 + $15,635—An applied researchprogram on the socio-economic aspects ofconflict between elephants and people inthe Caprivi Region of Namibia.

Management and Conservation of ForestElephants in West AfricaConservation International, $99,545 +$146,693—A biologist training programand research project to conserve andmanage populations of African elephants inKakum National Park (Ghana) andMarahoue National Park (Côte d’Ivoire).

Non-lethal Control of African ElephantPopulations by Means of Immuno-contraception in South Africa IIHumane Society of the United States,$50,418 + $50,418—Applied research inKruger NP, Republic of South Africa, forthe development of non-lethal control ofAfrican elephant populations by means ofimmuno-contraception.

Aerial Monitoring of Elephants in theMaasai-Mara National Reserve, KenyaWorldwide Fund for Nature, $33,240 +$13,170—A series of aerial surveys ofelephant populations and training to theKenya Wildlife Service aerial monitoringteam in the Maasai-Mara Game Reserve,Kenya.

People, Elephants, and Conservation inthe Greater Amboseli Ecosystem, KenyaAfrican Wildlife Foundation, $105,515 +$187,788—A community conservation andmanagement project for elephantpopulations in the area around AmboseliNP, Kenya.

Forest Elephant Study, the DzangaClearing, Central African RepublicWildlife Conservation Society, $38,500 +$14,500—A long-term study of a largepopulation of forest elephants in theDzanga-Sangha Reserve and the Dzanga-Ndoki NP, Central African Republic.

Nouabalé-Ndoki Forest ElephantProject: Applied Research forConservation in CongoWildlife Conservation Society, $60,500 +$68,800—Applied research to producedetailed information on elephants’seasonal movements and distribution,particularly in relation to ecological andhuman interference factors such aslogging, poaching, and human settlement,in and around Nouabalé-Ndoki NP,Republic of the Congo.

Elephants are a primary source of bushmeatin Africa

Projects Funded ByProgram Area(continued)

Conservation for the African Elephant onLewa Wildlife Conservancy andAffiliated Community Projects in KenyaLewa Wildlife Conservancy, $49,940 +$843,690—A protection program throughimproved intelligence and security efforts,as well as management of elephantpopulations in and around Lewa DownsRanch, Il Ngwesi Group Ranch, and theNamunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust incentral Kenya.

Support to the Niassa Game Reserve,MozambiqueNiassa Game Reserve, $76,175 + $641,242—The provision of assistance to anti-poaching teams and park management bysupporting aerial surveys and purchase ofmaterials for elephant exclusion fences inand around the Niassa Game Reserve.

Collaborative Assessment of ElephantImpacts on Plant and HabitatBiodiversity in the Kruger NP, SouthAfricaUniversity of Witwatersrand, Center forAfrican Ecology, $45,500 + $168,100—Aresearch project to provide vitalinformation for the management theAfrican elephant and its habitat.

Elephants are a favorite attraction andprovide revenue from ecotourism

Daily Activities, Habitat Use andMovements of Elephants on Mt. Kenya,KenyaKenya Wildlife Service/Mt. Kenya Project,$22,000 + $27,050—A grant to assist thefield scientists of the Kenya WildlifeService in the formulation of managementplans and related conservation activities,such as reduction of human-elephantconflict in the peripheral areas of Mt.Kenya.

Support for the Protection andRehabilitation of Garamba NationalPark, Democratic Republic of CongoThe International Rhino Foundation,$67,750 + $443,500—An anti-poaching andsurveillance project for the protection ofthe African elephant and other wildlifespecies in the Garamba NP, DemocraticRepublic of Congo (DRC).

Restoration of the Tembe-Futi-MaputoElephant Population in South Africa &MozambiqueThe Southern Africa Wildlife Trust andPeace Parks Foundation, $98,963 +$139,306—An effort to promote theestablishment of a Trans-frontierConservation Area in an area of highecological importance and value aselephant habitat between the MaputoRegion of Southern Mozambique andnorthern KwaZulu Natal in South Africa.

Community Conservation at MkomaziGame Reserve, TanzaniaThe Tony Fitzjohn/George AdamsonAfrican Wildlife Preservation Trust,$45,985 + $50,375—A communityconservation program to reduce human-elephant conflict and to manage habitat ofthe African elephant in and around theMkomazi Game Reserve.

Support to Activities of the AfricanElephant Specialist GroupIUCN—The World Conservation Union,$216,000 + $281,858—Support for twoyears of the activities of the AfricanElephant Specialist Group to providetechnical advice for the long-termconservation of African elephants through-out their range.

Elephant Crop Damage Control:A Pilot StudyZambia National Parks and WildlifeService and the Wildlife ConservationSociety, $9,000 + $20,000—A pilot study onthe effectiveness of electric fencing as adeterrent for elephants that may raidcrops and grain storage areas in smallcommunities in elephant habitat.

Fourth Dialogue Meeting of the AfricanElephant Range StatesIUCN—The World Conservation Union,$100,000 + $96,992—Fourth DialogueMeeting of the African Elephant RangeStates, 6-7 April 2000 in Nairobi, Kenya.

Anti-Poaching in Zakouma NationalPark, Chad (Part I)Department of State, American Embassy,N’Djamena, $50,000 + >$50,000—Communications equipment for parksecurity forces in Zakouma NP, Chad.

CITES-Mandated Monitoring ofElephants and Illegal Elephant Killing[MIKE]Wildlife Conservation Society, $337,450 +$404,392—A pilot project to implement theMIKE Central African Program to buildcapacity through training at local andnational levels, methodologicaldevelopment, and data production atselected sites in the Central African sub-region to detect trends in elephantdistribution, relative numbers, and thefactors affecting illegal killing.

Projects Funded ByProgram Area(continued)

Mother forest elephant chases great whiteegret from her calf

Sahelian Elephant Ecology Research andConservation Program in Gourma, MaliSave the Elephants, $47,054 + $123,375—Agrant to support the Timbuktu ElephantProject’s study of movements and ecologyto provide a scientific basis for managingand conserving arid-land elephants.

Elephant, Crops and People, Uganda,African Wildlife Trust, $31,050 + $21,145—A program to reduce current and futureconflicts between the recovering elephantpopulation of Queen Elizabeth NP and thegrowing human communities neighboringthe park.

Zambian Game Management Area GameScout Anti-Poaching Support ProjectThe Southern Africa Wildlife Trust,$15,658 + $31,300—Assistance to anti-poaching teams in the Lunga/Busanga andChizela Game Management Areas ofZambia by furnishing necessary non-lethalequipment to protect populations ofelephants and other wildlife.

Ecology and Deterrence of Crop-RaidingElephants in the Mid-Zambezi Valley,ZimbabweThe Cambridge University/Mid-ZambeziElephant Project, $29,900 + $41,200—Astudy of the movements and habitat use ofcrop-raiding elephants, to develop effectiveprevention and deterrent strategies in theMuzarabani Rural District.

Acoustic Monitoring of Forest ElephantsCornell University Bioacoustics ResearchProgram, $100,741 + $294,256—A pilotstudy to develop and conduct appliedresearch on infrasonic communication byelephants and its application for researchand monitoring of elephants in densetropical forests.

Anti-Poaching in Zakouma NP, Chad(Part II)Department of State, American Embassy,N’djamena, $40,000 + >$40,000—Supportfor anti-poaching teams through theprovision of clothing, camping gear,binoculars, a boat for rainy season patrols,and a needs-assessment study to adviseand direct training for park ecoguards.

Development of the African ElephantDatabase (Part II)IUCN/SSC African Elephant SpecialistGroup, $78,100 + $148,598—A grant tocontinue production of the AfricanElephant Database (AED), which is acomputerized bank of information storedin a Geographic Information System (GIS)on elephant numbers and distributionthroughout the African continent.

Meritorious Awards Program forAfrican Elephant Conservation (Part II)Southern African Wildlife Trust, $142,450+ $142,450—Program to award fieldpersonnel who face heavily-armedpoachers while executing their duty toprotect and manage wildlife in Tanzania,Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia,and the Republic of South Africa.

Suivi de la Dynamique des Populationset des Déplacements Saisonniers desEléphants du Sud Est du TchadProjet de Conservation del’Environnement dans le Sud-est duTchad, $30,000 + $29,400—A system ofmonitoring the seasonal movements andhabitat use of African elephants in andaround the Zakouma NP, Chad.

Kunene West Elephant MonitoringProjectSave the Rhino Trust-Elephant Project,$30,400 + $41,484—Identification and

Projects Funded ByProgram Area(continued)

Elephant greeting

monitoring of desert elephants andcommunity wildlife conservation trainingin Namibia.

Elephant Conservation and Monitoringin the Multiple-use Forests of theSangha/Likouala Regions of NorthernCongoWildlife Conservation Society, $98,250 +$451,960—Protection efforts, communityconservation, and monitoring of populationtrends in a logging area that forms part ofthe Sangha River Tri-nationalConservation Area.

Appui à la Promotion de la Mise enOeuvre de la Stratégie pour laConservation des Eléphants en Afriquede l’OuestIUCN African Elephant Specialist Group,$19,016 + $37,000—Support to WestAfrican Program Officer to assist incapacity-building to implement the WestAfrica Conservation Strategy.

Monitoring Elephants in the MeruEcosystemSave the Elephants, $16,800 + $20,000—Applied research on the seasonalmovements of elephants in the MeruEcosystem in north central Kenya.

Control of Elephant Poaching in theOkapi Faunal Reserve, DemocraticRepublic of Congo (DRC)Wildlife Conservation Society, $59,980 +$77,425—The rehabilitation ofinfrastructure and procurement ofmaterials to conduct protection andmonitoring activities in eastern DRC.

Community-based Conservation of theAfrican Elephant in Sarara-Sabache andSurrounding AreasNamunyak Wildlife Conservation Trust,$37,455 + $50,975—Protection andmonitoring activities on group ranches andother community conservation activities innorth central Kenya.

Long-term Monitoring, Research, andProtection of Elephants in the Nouabalé-Ndoki NP and Surrounding AreasWildlife Conservation Society, $162,300 +$189,950—Long-term protection, appliedresearch, and monitoring of elephants inand around the national park, which is partof the Sangha River Tri-nationalConservation Area.

Distribution ofFunds

Program Areas

Grant Funds$3,369,675

Matching Funds andIn-Kind Contributions

$6,454,604

Grant and Matching Funds

34%

66%

Country Governments

Academic Institutions

Country NGOs

International NGOs

Organizational Funding

12%

12%

15%

61%

Wildlife Protection

Conflict Resolution

Conservation Education

Other

Surveys & Monitoring

Protected Area Management

21%

12%

4%

4%

35%

24%

Countries with GrantsFiscal Years 1998-2000

For more information about the Fund,please contact:

Chief, Division of InternationalConservation

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 730Arlington, VA 22203703.358.1754

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceDivision of International ConservationWashington, DC 20240

http://www.fws.gov/http://international.fws.gov/

Spring 2001