Posted on 05 September
2011 An estimated 189 African forest elephants
are now living in Côte d’Ivoire’s
Taï National Park, according
to the findings of a recent survey. The
last reliable population estimate was conducted
nearly 30 years ago and counted 800 elephants.
The current population
level was determined by counting dung piles
throughout the park. Taking into account
the estimate’s margin of error, the actual
number of elephants in the area could range
from 54 to 324.
The results are consistent
with estimates from ongoing bio-monitoring
being conducted in the area by WWF and national
park staff, which indicates a population
of about 200 animals.
Forest elephants are
an elusive sub-species of African elephant
inhabiting the densely wooded rainforests
of West and Central Africa. Their reclusive
behavior precludes traditional counting
methods such as visual identification.
“In addition to establishing the number
of elephants, the survey also gives us insights
into the animals’ distribution within the
park,” says Mr. Lamine Sebogo, WWF African
Elephant Programme Coordinator. “We found
that the elephants are avoiding areas frequented
by poaching gangs and are congregating near
water sources.”
During the survey, researchers heard gunfire,
discovered spent cartridges and snares,
and encountered poachers’ camps in the park.
Evidence of poaching activity was greatest
in areas that are infrequently patrolled
by park rangers.
The forest around a
WWF-supported chimpanzee habituation program
was found to be a “no-go” area for poachers,
according to the report, likely due to the
daily presence of conservation staff.
Taï National Park
was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982
and is home to rare species including the
endangered pigmy hippopotamus. The forest
complex is the largest in the region, but
is surrounded by cocoa, coffee and rubber
plantations. Mineral extraction also occurs
nearby.
Elephant populations in West Africa have
declined throughout the 20th and 21st centuries
as a result of ivory poaching, habitat loss,
and human-wildlife conflict. The animals
are now restricted to about 70 small, isolated
fragments of their previous habitat.
“Taï is one of West Africa’s most important
wildlife refuges,” Sebogo says. “To protect
the elephants, chimpanzees and other species
living there we must secure the park from
poachers. To do this, increased funding
and support from the international community
is needed.”
The elephant population
survey was conducted by CITES’ Monitoring
the Illegal Killing of Elephants programme
and WWF’s African Elephant Programme with
cooperation from Côte d’Ivoire’s national
park service.
