Savanna elephants in Yankari Game Reserve
Newswise — Calabar, Nigeria, August 16, 2024 - As Nigeria's elephant population approaches survival threshold, the federal government, supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Elephant Protection Initiative, has adopted a ten-year plan to protect the country's remaining 400 pachyderms.
While its elephant population has declined by 99%, Nigeria has become the main exit point for wildlife products from Africa, with nearly a quarter of the world's seized ivory shipped through Nigerian ports. The country now supports a population of 300-400 elephants, including 200-300 forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) and 100 savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana).
“This is a desperate, but not hopeless situation” writes John E. Scanlon, Chief Executive Officer for the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation, in the preface to the National Elephant Action Plan (NEAP), launched this Tuesday, August 13, 2024, as part of International Elephant Day celebrations.
The 10-year plan details the current situation and provides an urgent framework for the long-
term conservation of elephants. Its main author, WCS Nigeria country director Andrew Dunn, comments: “it's essential to understand that this is a last-chance initiative, with irreversible effects if the plan doesn't achieve its objectives, which is why it's an operational plan, with clear objectives and a pipeline of funds.”
The NEAP sets out eight objectives for the government and conservation stakeholders:
- Reducing illegal killing of elephants by 2027 (to acceptable levels PIKE < 0.5)
- Reducing illegal trade by 50% by 2028
- Maintaining habitat and connectivity through participatory land-use planning
- Reducing levels of human-elephant conflict to zero retaliatory killings by 2034
- Improving scientific knowledge and understanding of elephant populations
- Strengthening cooperation with neighboring countries
- Improving community-shared economic benefits generated by tourism
- Increasing awareness of the importance of elephant conservation across government and civil society stakeholders
Mainly threatened by poaching for their ivory, elephants are also victims of habitat destruction, with a deforestation rate of 3.5% per annum in Nigeria. Human-elephant conflict is also on the increase, linked to crop raiding, resulting in retaliatory killing of elephants.
The NEAP targets an urgent reduction in the illegal killing of elephants and in the trade of their products. “This will benefit conservation in Nigeria itself, but will also have a positive impact on biodiversity in west and central Africa, given the country’s significance as an export hub for illicit wildlife trafficking” writes John E. Scanlon. Often regarded as an ecosystem engineer because of their crucial impact on their environment (seed dispersal, creation of salt pans, clearing of paths), elephants are an umbrella species, whose survival would benefit many others.
The NEAP also stresses the crucial role of local-level participatory land-use planning in mitigating human-elephant conflict, while urging upgraded legal status for small, protected areas to protect them from illegal logging and farming.
“The NEAP provides a platform for synergy between existing Federal and State wildlife laws in Nigeria as well as help in the enforcement of these laws”, commented Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Federal Minister of Environment, highlighting the strengthening of wildlife laws as a key priority for the Nigerian government.
The NEAP includes a five-year implementation plan, to be updated annually, with an estimated total cost of USD 30 million, of which USD 7.3 million has already been secured.
Seven out of the ten known populations of elephants in Nigeria contain 50 or fewer individuals and are at serious risk of extinction. All the small populations are declining and only one elephant population is larger than 100, generally considered to be the minimum number for population viability.
“Saving Nigeria’s last elephants will require more than just funds; it will require a significant change in attitude at all levels and a paradigm shift by federal and state governments towards a realization that human wellbeing and global health is inextricably linked to biodiversity loss and climate change,” says Andrew Dunn.
While there is a big challenge ahead, WCS’s long-term engagement in Nigeria provides a blueprint for success. An estimated 10-20 elephants were poached each year prior to WCS’s intervention in Yankari Game Reserve. Since 2015, no elephants have been lost to poaching for ivory.
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About WCS Nigeria
WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. WCS works in 50 countries across the globe to support conservation with local, national, and international stakeholders. From its country office in Calabar, WCS has been working in Nigeria since 2001, and currently supports the conservation of three protected areas in Cross River State as well as Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State. Visit: https://nigeria.wcs.org/ Follow: @WCS_Nigeria and @WCSNewsroom
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
WCS combines the power of its zoos and an aquarium in New York City and a Global Conservation Program in more than 50 countries to achieve its mission to save wildlife and wild places. WCS runs the world’s largest conservation field program, protecting more than 50 percent of Earth’s known biodiversity; in partnership with governments, Indigenous People, Local Communities, and the private sector. It’s four zoos and aquarium (the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and the New York Aquarium ) welcome more than 3.5 million visitors each year, inspiring generations to care for nature. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org. Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: +1 (347) 840-1242. Listen to the WCS Wild Audio podcast HERE.
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