THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT AND IVORY
AB
1.
Since 1979 the number of African elephants has fallen
from around 1,220,000 to 622,000. Poaching and loss of
habitat have caused the decline, extermination and
compression of elephant populations, particularly in eastern
Africa. A number of different human factors have contributed to their reduction including a large illegal ivory trade, wide-spread poverty, civilian disruption, lack
of arms control, lawlessness, and land-use conflicts between
elephants and humans. While human population growth and land-use conflicts are likely to limit elephant distribution
in the long term, it is generally recognized that the
primary cause of the declines through the 1970s and 1980s has been poaching for ivory. Consequently, although eastern Africa still maintains vast expanses of suitable elephant
habitat, pressure from poaching has either eliminated entire
elephant populations or reduced population densities to very
low levels. If the trend continues, many already isolated populations could become extinct. Charts showing the range of the African elephant and the decline in numbers since
1979 are attached.
2.
Concern about the future of the African elephant led to
a concerted campaign for action within the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES). CITES, established by the United Nations
Environment Programme, was opened for signature in 1973 in
Washington and now has over 100 contracting Parties. It imposes controls on international trade in endangered
species and their products, the strictness of which is
related to the particular Appendix (of three) under which the species is listed. Appendix I controls are strictest,
effectively a ban on international commercial trade.
/3.
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