World fetes elephants amid poaching crisis in Kenya

Local tourists get a glimpse of elephants drinking water at Sarova Salt Lick Lodge in Taita Taveta County. [PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED /STANDARD]

NAIROBI: Wednesday, millions of animal lovers around the world will be raising a cheer for nature's biggest land animal, the elephant. But as Kenya joins other countries in marking World Elephants Day, the animals are under more threat from poaching and habitat loss than ever.

"At a time when there is plenty to worry about with regard to elephants, the World Elephant Day marked today is one of those days that gives everyone a chance to celebrate everything that is so wonderful about these incredible creatures and what is being done to protect them," said International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Southern Africa Director Jason Bell.

This World Elephants Day, IFAW will post a tweet and a picture of an elephant every 15 minutes on @action4ifaw to commemorate the daily toll of elephants killed for their ivory.

While poaching has been threatening to wipe out elephants, the world is seeing a significant groundswell in the determination by governments, NGOs and the public to stop poachers, end the illegal trade and ensure elephants are free from conflict with humans.

"Elephants have fascinated humans for thousands of years. They are scientifically known to be immensely intelligent and the complex social structures of their family herds closely resemble those of our own. The world would be a much poorer place without vast herds of elephants roaming the African savannahs, or the shy Forest elephants that make the Central African jungles their own, or the Asian elephants which have been honoured and deified for their beauty and intelligence in some of the world's oldest frescoes and friezes," said Bell.

He added that while countries around the world had destroyed over 60 tonnes of illegal ivory in the past two years, media reports showed law enforcers had made at least 70 seizures, totalling nearly 20 metric tonnes of contraband ivory since January 1, 2015.

Nearly 35,000 elephants die each year. Bell said part of the fight against ivory and illegal wildlife trafficking was disrupting potential markets. "We have seen the European Union calling for a halt to the importation of elephant trophies. Elsewhere, major international airlines are refusing to transport trophies of elephants and other animals. These initiatives frustrate criminals," said Bell.

As part of a worldwide capacity building initiative, IFAW trains law enforcement officers in wildlife trafficking prevention in several countries throughout Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania and the Caribbean.  The IFAW report, 'Criminal Nature', documents the threat the illegal trade poses to elephants and rhinos as well as people. According to the research, poachers have killed 100,000 African elephants in just three years.