- Title: IVORY COAST: Ivory Coast relocates elephants to curb human-animal conflict.
- Date: 11th February 2014
- Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (RECENT) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) CELINE SISSLER BIENVENU, DIRECTOR IFAW FRANCE AND FRANCOPHONE AFRICA SAYING: "We are at a time where we face losing the elephant species. Africa is fast losing this animal that represents so much and as a consequence, each elephant that is saved, is a gain for the survival of these animals."
- Embargoed: 26th February 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cote d'Ivoire
- Country: Ivory Coast
- Topics: Conflict,Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVAB6XLG70UK99A4JEG79JRT3HTL
- Story Text: Conservationists tranquillized and relocated between nine and 12 elephants from outside the town of Daloa to the Assagny National Park in the Ivory Coast's south. According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the dozen or so animals were transferred for their own safety and because they were coming into conflict with the local community and killing their crops. The elephant is the symbol of Ivory Coast, and authorities are urging residents to be patient while a solution is found to the human-wildlife conflict.
Deadly conflict between humans and elephants is increasing in Ivory Coast.
Traditional elephant breeding grounds and migration are being compromised by expanding human resettlement, inevitably bringing the animals into closer contact with people.
To reduce conflict between humans and elephants, Ivory Coast, in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has embarked on a campaign to relocate some if its forest elephants.
Here in a forest outside of the town of Daloa, in western Ivory Coast, a dozen elephants have been targeted for relocation to the national park of Azagny, 500 kilometers southeast of Daloa.
According to IFAW, the elephants may have been forced from their habitat in Marahoue National Park, by human migration as well as 2010-2011 post election violence.
But the elephants have been causing havoc, destroying crops and recently killed two people, prompting conservationists and authorities to move them.
With demand for ivory rising from Asia, poachers have reduced the population of Africa's forest elephants by 62 percent over the last decade, putting the species on track for extinction, conservationists say.
"We are at a time where we face losing the elephant species. Africa is fast losing this animal that represents so much and as a consequence, each elephant that is saved, is a gain for the survival of these animals," said IFAW France and Francophone Africa, Celine Sissler Bienvenue.
According to IFAW, the numbers of forest elephants on the continent vary because the lack of visibility makes them harder to count in dense forests, but estimates put them at 410,000 to 650,000.
"We are dealing with a completely different set of parameters, most notably is the thick forest environment, which makes it more difficult to physically guard the animals, and to recover them. Secondly the forest elephant being different to the savannah elephant and its habits also is a great challenge," said IFAW vet, Kirster Vickery.
Smaller than its African savannah cousin, the forest elephant has straighter tusks, and occupies the dense forests stretching from Central African Republic to Liberia.
Along with the relocation, Ivorian authorities also launched an awareness campaign to educate the public on the importance of securing the elephant species.
"Unfortunately, we have registered a number of deaths caused by human animal conflict, which is why we have decided to sensitise the population. They listened to us and we thank them for understanding the importance of keeping elephants secure," said Matthieu Babaud Darret, Ivorian Minister of Forestry.
According to IFAW, the relocation exercise will take a week and cost around 250,000 USD. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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