Committee: Environments 1
Question of: measures to protect
the African elephant
Name: Eric Anthony
Position: Head Chair
Introduction
• Originally numbering approximately three to
five million in the previous century, the
African elephant populations were severely
reduced to its current low levels due to
hunting for both leisure as well as the ivory
trade. In the 1980s, it is estimated that
100,000 elephants were killed each year and
loss of herds amounted to up to 80% in some
regions.
Introduction
• The issue exists due to the surge in demand
for ivory (elephant tusks) which can be used to
make practical tool such as hairpins or knives.
Introduction
• 70 percent of the illegal ivory from poaching
heads to China, where a pound can fetch as
much as $1,000, equivalent to 10 times the
average income in most African families.
Introduction
• Critically, and affecting global security, the trade in ivory fuels
terrorism. “Ivory—sometimes called “the white gold of
jihad”—helps fund the military operations of notorious
terrorist groups”
• View the web site “96 Elephants”:
https://www.96elephants.org/chapter-2
96 Elephants.org
Introduction
• According to Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (Cites), 20,000 elephants were
killed world wide by poachers in 2013 for their ivory
tusks, 22,000 elephants killed in 2012 and 25,000 in
2011.
• A recent 2013 estimate valued the illegal poaching
trade in Africa as being worth $17 billion dollars a year
and growing.
• Of the 157 poaching-related cases detected in Kenya in
the past three years, less than five per cent have been
prosecuted and only three of those convicted were
sentenced to jail.
Definition of Key Terms
• Environmental Laws: Environmental law
means the laws that regulate the impact of
human activities on the environment.
Environmental law covers a broad range of
activities that affect air, water, land, flora or
fauna. It includes laws that relate to:
Protection of animals and plants.
Definition of Key Terms
• Poaching: the illegal practice of
trespassing on another's property to
hunt or steal game without the
landowner's permission.
Definition of Key Terms
• Ivory: a hard creamy-white substance
composing the main part of the tusks of an
elephant, walrus, or narwhal, often (especially
formerly) used to make ornaments and other
articles.
Definition of Key Terms
• Unregulated Markets: an economic system that
allows supply and demand to regulate prices,
wages, etc, rather than government policy.
• Wildlife Crime: any action which contravenes
current legislation which governs the protection
of a countries flora and fauna.
• Judicial Systems: is the system of courts that
interprets and applies the law in the name of the
state.
Topic summary/ Overview
• A single kilogram of ivory is currently worth
thousands of dollars due to demand from a
rapidly growing Asian economy.
• Researchers have found that between 2010 and
2013, Africa lost an average of 7% of its entire
elephant population each year.
• Elephant births boost the population by about 5%
annually, meaning that overall more of the
elephants are being killed than are being born.
Major Parties Involved
• World Wildlife (WWF): Actively discourages the purchase of
certain wildlife goods, encourages the production and
purchase of sustainable wildlife goods such as those
certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). They provide technical
and scientific advice to the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES) and push governments to protect threatened
animal populations by increasing law enforcement and
imposing strict deterrents,
Major Parties Involved
• African Nations Governments: They protect
threatened animal populations, increase law
enforcement , creates bans and regulations for
protection of flora and fauna.
Major Parties Involved
• SOS Elephants: Education in local schools in
Africa and community outreach. They provide
safer living environments for elephants. In
they take DNA test to identify illegal ivory.
Major Parties Involved
• International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF):
Perform security and research in elephant
habitats. Build parks and safe havens for
Elephants. http://www.iapf.org/
• Save the Elephants: Find innovative ways to
decrease demand of ivory, tracks elephants and
intervenes into illegal poaching.
http://savetheelephants.org/
• International Fund for Animal Welfare(IFAW):
conducts anti-poaching and wildlife crime
training. www.ifaw.org
Timeline
• 1600 – 1900: Around the world, the demand
for ivory explodes. Taken from elephants’
tusks, ivory is used to make piano keys, billiard
balls, sculptures and other luxury goods.
Elephant numbers plummet.
• 1989: At a meeting in Switzerland, CITES
(Conference on International Trade in
Endangered Species) bans all trade in ivory.
Timeline
• 2008: CITES permits four African countries to sell
nearly 120 tons of ivory to China and Japan. The
legal ivory makes it possible for illegal ivory to be
sold.
• 2011: With more than 26 tons of ivory being
seized by officials, 2011 is the worst year for
elephant poaching since the 1989 ban took
effect.
• 2013: Death’s of African elephants were reduced
by over 2,000 deaths.
UN Involvement
• The UN has been very deeply involved with this
issue.
• The UN has imposed sanction on armed groups
such as the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and
sanctions on DR Congo for the poaching of
elephants.
• Cracking down on Ivory Poaching and
implementing support nets.
• Condemns the atrocities of the elephant
poaching and urges for an quick solution.
Possible Solutions
• Education of ivory consumers.
• Creation of programs that incentivize and
reward local populations in the successful
protection of elephant populations.
• Re-enforcement of the ban on ivory imports,
stricter regulations
• Close down domestic (national) markets in
ivory, to accompany the international trade
ban instituted by CITES.
Bibliography
• "African Elephant." WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund,
n.d. Web. 2 Jan. 2015.
• "Elephant Deaths Reach Tipping Point." BBC News. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 2 Jan. 2015.
• "Elephant Poaching." Havocscope RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 2
Jan. 2015.
• Gerken, James. "Elephant Poaching Could Wipe Out 20
Percent Of African Population In Next Decade, Report
Shows." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d.
Web. 2 Jan. 2015.
• Rosen, Rebecca J. "What Is It About an Elephant's Tusks
That Make Them So Valuable?" The Atlantic. Atlantic Media
Company, 06 Sept. 2012. Web. 2 Jan. 2015.