In a recent posting on bonobo in Congo blog, Therese Hart reported that her husband John had analysed recent elephant survey data in the DR Congo and had concluded that the total elephant population is likely under 20,000, and still dropping. This is down from a population estimated at over 100,000 elephants 50 years ago!
Here’s where the elephants are
Shocking facts
Only 6 core populations (? 500 elephants occupying contiguous range) remain in DR Congo.
All of these core populations, except TL2 , are in a protected area.
All of these core populations are under poaching pressure.
All of these core populations have decreased in the last 10 years, some catastrophically.
We know of nine remnant populations (< 500 elephants, often less than 50 remain). Others are possible.
Four remnant populations are within protected areas (Virunga, Upemba, Kahuzi Biega, Lomako).
These data should be ringing alarm bells around the world. Who is driving the killing of these elephants for ivory? Most of us in Africa have no doubt that it’s the Chinese even if the Chinese government deny this link. I have a few questions and wold love to hear your thoughts
How can we get CITES out of their offices to investigate these allegations
Is another ban on ivory trade the solution
How can we depress demand in ivory in China?
For further information and tables of data read the bonoboincongo blog post here,
Donations made here are
Feb 28th Liza H USD 11.00
3 Comments
This is shocking. I’m positive the Chinese are responsible for an enormous amount of elephant poaching, but what about the various armed groups? Weren’t they poaching elephant ivory and selling it to UN soldiers, then buying weapons with the cash? Is elephant ivory funding the wars in DRC?
s.
I have said it many times on various blogs at this site, that individual consumers would have to start boycotting any product made in China. Luckily I made that decision already a long time ago after being sickened by horrible pictures of bear pile farms and the fact that our planet’s recources won’t last long with all this cheap stuff pouring in from Far East.
We can all make choices in our lives and decide to live without things if they are not manufactured, for example, in Europe or USA. The only thing which seems to have any effect on politicians and desicion makers is, if it has an effect on economy.
MJPC blames the Congolese Government for Deteriorating Situation in East Congo
“There is no excuse for missing to pay salaries to soldiers in lawless eastern Congo for six months”
Following the deteriorating situation in east Congo, the MJPC called for the Congolese Government to pay the salaries of thousands of soldiers who have not been paid for over six months in east Congo, take swift action to enforce the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) warrant against Bosco Ntaganda and to hold accountable perpetrators of sexual violence against women for their acts.
“Faillng to hold accountable individuals who commit war crimes and crimes against humunity continues to be the leading cause of widespread and systematic sexual violence acts against girls and women in the easten Congo” said Makuba Sekombo, Community Affairs Director of
the Mobilization for Justice and Peace in the DR Congo (MJPC). Mr. Sekombo again criticized the government of Congo for not only the continuing failure to protect women and young girls from sexual violence, but also for “encouraging conditions that create opportunities for sexual violence to occur”. “There is no excuse for missing to pay salaries to soldiers in lawless eastern Congo for six months” said Sekombo.
The MJPC has also renewed its call for the Congolese government to take urgent needed action to end human rights abuses in east Congo, hold perpetrators accountable and ensure reparation for the victims of sexual violence. The MJPC has been urging the Congolese government to compensate the victims of sexual violence in order to also help combat impunity in eastern part of Congo where sexual violence against women and children has been widely used as weapon of war for more than decade.MJPC online petition calling for for help to put pressure on Congolese Government to compensate victims of sexual siolence in Eastern DRC can be signed at http://www.gopetition.com.au/online/26180.html
MJPC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to working to add a voice in the promotion of justice and peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular in the East where thousands of innocent civilians, including children and women continue to be victims of massive human rights violations while the armed groups responsible for these crimes remain unpunished.
For more information on MJPC and the activities, visit the web site http://www.mjpcongo.org. E-mail: info@mjpcongo.org or call Makuba Sekombo at 1 408 806 3644
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[...] Genetic tests can determine if this ivory is coming from Tanzania or elsewhere like DR Congo where elephant populations have crashed from 100,000 to fewer than 20,000 in the last 50 years. In conservation circles Tanzania is known [...]
[...] from Therese Hart in DR Congo reveals that elephants down by 80% in last 50 [...]
[...] suspect that this ivory comes from DR Congo where the elephant population has crashed from 100,000 individuals 50 yeas ago to fewer tha…. That’s death rate of 1,600 elephants per year. Amazing that none of the usual organizations, [...]