 |
       |
                |
    In circuses and zoos, Hindu temples and even children's books, the elephant has captivated audiences and worshipers through the centuries. Tragically, the world's largest land mammal has also been slaughtered through the ages to feed a worldwide demand for ivory.Although there has been an international ban on ivory since 1989, elephants are still threatened by man - and illegal poaching is not the main problem. Loss of habitat is a major obstacle in maintaining both African and Asian elephant populations. In Africa, they are in grave danger and in Asia - where those left are mostly domesticated - their survival is also at risk. Today, expanding human settlements, growing population pressures and the spread of agriculture into traditional elephant ranges means that many areas are not available for the herds to travel and forage for food. As a result, instances of elephants raiding fields and destroying crops are increasing and clashes between elephants and people have led to nearly 300 human deaths a year. There is pressure on wildlife authorities to kill elephants living near human areas to lower risks. In the early 1970s, the illegal ivory trade was at the highest levels recorded since the beginning of the 20th century. Over 80 per cent of the ivory leaving Africa had been acquired illegally. Poaching is still a large problem in West and Central Africa and continues because, despite the ban, ivory is still traded in some countries and exports are growing in areas of Asia. Protecting elephants in the wild must be addressed on several fronts, including the loss of natural habitat; poaching and illegal trading and the increasing clashes between humans and elephants. An accurate count of elephant populations and building the capacity of local wildlife authorities to manage elephants is also vital for conservation efforts. As part of a global effort to protect the planet and the animals that inhabit it, the United Nations Programme (UNEP) administers one of the world's largest conservation agreements, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CITES aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. More that 160 governments have ratified the treaty, which offers varying protection to more than 35,000 species of animals and plants, depending on their condition in the wild and the effect that international trade my have on them. CITES bans international trade in species threatened with extinction. It also protects other species, which are not threatened, but may be at serious risk unless international trade is strictly regulated. Through CITES, monitoring tools have been set up to examine the trade in elephant product. The status of elephants varies in different ranges in different countries. Some African countries believe that a legal and controlled ivory trade could bring economic benefits without endangering the species. Two monitoring programmes have been set up under CITES to collect information and assess trade policies: MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) and ETIS (Elephant Trade Information System).
LEARN MORE how the UN works with its partners around the world to save endangered species. Go to the links at the side of the page. Photo credit: UN |
                |
             |