Elephants

The overall objective of the study is to enhance knowledge of contemporary elephant meat market dynamics, patterns and trends in Central African countries by undertaking an elephant meat trade impact study. The results aim to establish a baseline data set of variables that can subsequently be monitored to assess trends in meat and ivory trade at the site level.

Since 1997, TRAFFIC has been carrying out country surveys of trade in ivory and, in some cases, live elephants. In 2006/2007, TRAFFIC set out to compile existing and new information on the trade in elephants and elephant products in Thailand in consultation with relevant experts and stakeholders, including carvers, traders, retailers and government regulators.

Some of the most important decisions in wildlife management in Africa revolve around elephants. Where elephant densities increase the impact of elephants on their habitats and other species may also increase. Depending on local values and/or the land-use objectives, this impact is often seen as undesirable. Information about attempts to control wild populations of elephants is generally not readily accessible to the relevant managers and conservation authorities in Africa.

The African Elephant Database is a spatial database used to store, manage, analyze and disseminate information on the distribution and abundance of elephant populations on the African continent, in order to provide a current and accurate picture of the status African elephants. Elephants are the largest living land mammals, and their potential impact on their habitats raises important management issues both for protected areas and unprotected land.

African elephants are confronted with habitat loss and degradation and increasing levels of human – elephant conflict. Management authorities in sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly turning to translocation as a means to meet such challenges. This trend has to take into account changing political and welfare considerations for elephants, and managers need to understand the justification for translocation as well as the technical challenges.

African elephants are confronted with habitat loss and degradation and increasing levels of human-elephant conflict. Management authorities in sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly turning to translocation as a means to meet such challenges. This trend has to take into account changing political and welfare considerations for elephants, and managers need to understand the justification for translocation as well as the technical challenges.

In the late 1980s there were two campaigns to save African elephants. One banned international trade in ivory. The other established common property rights to elephants for local communities. Has either campaign saved the elephants? To answer this question, we constructed and solved two models, a biomass model and an age structured model. We conclude that in countries which successfully establish property rights, local communities will conserve elephants.