LAGOS/Nigeria: At the 2023 World Elephant Day, the Wild Africa Fund has issued a passionate plea for the elevation of elephants in vulnerable and unprotected regions.
The fund has also lauded the resolute endeavors of its collaborators in Zimbabwe and Nigeria who are tirelessly working to ensure the safety and preservation of these majestic creatures.
Mr. Festus Iyorah, the Nigeria Representative of the Wild Africa Fund, conveyed this call in an official statement released in Lagos, which a stern tone, emphasized the necessity for governments to bolster safeguards for national parks, which serve as vital habitats for forest elephants – an essential component of the continent’s rich biodiversity.
He stated that the stark statistics speak for themselves, saying Africa boasts an estimated elephant population of approximately 415,000.
Mr. Iyorah, the same land that these magnificent beings call home also bears witness to the multifaceted challenges that plague their existence, as he pointed out that Nigeria grapples with an intricate web of obstacles that relentlessly imperil its native elephant population.
“Over the past 30 years, Nigeria’s elephant population has suffered a precipitous decline, plummeting from an estimated 1,200 to 1,500 individuals two decades ago to a harrowing current estimate of 300 to 400,” Iyorah revealed. The major culprits behind this alarming decline are habitat loss, rampant poaching for ivory, and the ever-escalating human-elephant conflict – all of which cast a dark shadow over Nigeria’s once-thriving elephant population.
Acknowledging the potential for prosperity through responsible wildlife tourism and conservation efforts, Iyorah pointed to the valuable lessons that can be gleaned from initiatives taking root in countries like Zimbabwe. “In places like Zimbabwe, innovative measures are emerging,” Iyorah asserted.
In Zimbabwe, the Wild Africa Fund has partnered with the Tikobane Trust to deploy a creative and non-lethal method of conflict resolution: an elephant repellent comprised of chili, garlic, and rotten eggs. Furthermore, the Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme is experimenting with deterrents like chili fences and reflective barriers to maintain the delicate balance between elephants and the human communities with which they share their space.
In Nigeria, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is leveraging satellite collars to enhance the tracking of elephant movements. This model, as adopted by WCS, has proven highly effective in curbing incidents of human-elephant conflicts. Tactics such as employing elephant guardians, erecting watchtowers, and establishing innovative barriers like beehives and odorous fences have been instrumental in mitigating these conflicts.
Iyorah resolutely called for further innovation and collaboration to safeguard elephants in other regions of Nigeria. He singled out state-managed forest reserves in the southwest, such as Omo in Ogun State and Idanre in Ondo State, as sites that demand special attention. Forest elephants in these areas are under severe threat due to rampant logging and encroachment by agricultural activities.
“Moreover, unprotected sites like Itasin in southwest Nigeria, which has become a hotspot for human-elephant conflicts after elephants migrated from the Omo forest reserve, must be prioritized with locally tailored solutions,” Iyorah stressed. He further iterated the urgency of legally protecting these smaller, unprotected sites to avert the potential extinction of elephants and to curtail the escalating clashes between these magnificent animals and humans.
As the sun sets on another World Elephant Day, the spotlight is firmly cast on the pressing need for concerted efforts and innovative solutions to safeguard the future of these awe-inspiring creatures that grace the African landscape.
