POACHING ON THE INCREASE
Category: Uncategorized | Date: Sep 14 2008 | By: elephantsofbotswana
Recent reports of elephants being poached for ivory in Botswana has caused alarm in a country which has enjoyed a peaceful past. The price of Ivory has increased recently, fuelling the poaching in Africa. In July of this year the Criminal Investigation Department of Botswana confirmed that they are following leads that may lead to the arrest of a criminal syndicate that specializes in illegal ivory operating in the Chobe area. We are awaiting the outcome.
At the beginning of the year a carcass was found to the west of camp where the tusks had been chopped out; we could not conclude if the elephant was killed by poachers or if they happened to come across the elephant and saw an opportunity. Either way the reality is is that those tusks have now joined the illegal ivory cache and have probably found their way onto the black market.
We now know over 600 male elephants that utilise the study area and each and every day I wonder what has become of those that I have not seen for a while! It is always a relief when I see individuals again and know that they are OK. I keep those that I have not seen for a few years in our ID sheets in the hope that they will return once more. I cannot bear to think that they have been killed for ivory, for their tusks. It makes me more resolute to carry on with the research and hopefully offer them some protection.
Kate
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Hi, I am Kate Evans, or more commonly known as Elephant Kate. I am a zoologist whose great love is elephants. Since 2002 I have been living my dream by researching elephants in the Okavango Delta in Botswana. I decided I was going to be an elephant researcher when I was seven. I was living in Asia at the time and visited the elephant orphanage in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It was there that I made up my mind I was going to work for these majestic and intelligent animals. I made a promise to an elephant and we all know an elephant never forgets!!!! It took me 20 years to finally realise my dream and start my life as an elephant researcher. It was 20 years well spent and now I have to pinch myself most days to make sure it is true and I am living my dream.
I now head up a team who are researching the elephants and trying to work out the social and ecological needs of the largest remaining population of the African elephant. From time to time, other team members will add their thoughts and experiences. I love sharing my experiences - so I hope that this blog is a medium through which you will be able to join the elephants and I on our adventures in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. -
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