TNAG-2130-FCO40-3045-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 30

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FM NAIROBI

TO DESKBY 22160OZ FCO

TELNO 83

OF 221108Z FEBRUARY 90

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INFO PRIORITY DAR ES SALAAM

INDL

tike

ısılı

-8 MAR 1990

(14)

Entert PA

171412

MDHIAN 8100

POACHING OF AFRICAN ELEPHANTS

1.

I AM NOT SURPRISED BY LEAKET'S STATEMENT ABOUT WHICH I WARNED YOU IN MY TELNO 60. BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED YOUR FAX.

2. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE ACCURATE FIGURES OF ELEPHANTS KILLAD WITHOUT APPROACHING THE KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE. HOWEVER WE KNOW THAT IN THE WORST AREA, TSAVO, 50 ELEPHANTS HAVE BEEN KILLED BY POACHERS IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. THERE HAS BEEN NEGLIGIBLE POACHING IN THE WESTERN GAME PARKS. BUT SOME ELEPHANTS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN RECENT MONTHS IN MERU PARK AND IN NORTHERN KENYA OUTSIDE THE PARKS. I HAVE

HEARD THAT LEAKEY REFERRED TO 100 ELEPHANTS. IN THAT CASE HE IS PROBABLY EXTRAPOLATING FROM THE KNOWN FIGURE OF 50 IN TSAVO.

3. IT IS SIMPLISTIC TO SAY THAT THE RECRUDESCENCE OF POACHING IN

KENYA IS DUE TO THE SIX MONTH EXEMPTION FOR HONG KONG. THIS IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF FACTORS. OTHERS ARE AN INCREASE IN SOMALI POACHING

LARGELY DUE TO THE THICK BUSH COVER AVAILABLE AFTER THE RAINS: AN UNDERSTANDABLE EXHAUSTION ON THE PART OF RANGERS WHO HAVE BEEN HARD AT IT FOR SIX MONTHS: AND AN INADEQUATE NETWORK FOR THE COLLATION OF INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE.

JOHNSON

YYYY

MAIN

38

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MAED

HKD

EAD

NEWS

ADDITIONAL

MR FOLLAND,

2

( DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT) (BRISTOL)

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

40

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PS/MR WALDEGRAVE PS/MR MAUDE

PS/MRS CHALKER

PS/PUS

MR SLATER

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1

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