Bonn,
9 April 2009 - At the first meeting of the
signatories to the CMS agreement to conserve
West African populations of the African
Elephant, governments and international
conservation bodies agreed on steps to stop
the depletion and the loss of their habitat.
Representatives of 13 West African countries
as well as wildlife agencies attended the
meeting in Accra, Ghana on 30-31 March 2009.
A joint meeting of representatives from
CMS and the CITES programme MIKE (Monitoring
the Illegal Killing of Elephants) also took
place the following day in Accra.
In West Africa, major
declines of elephant populations occurred
well before the turn of the 20th century
and the population has remained at low levels
ever since. The loss of habitat and illegal
killing has raised deep concerns about the
future of this endangered, highly charismatic
species. An estimated 90 per cent of elephants'
habitat in West Africa has been destroyed.
Elephant habitats include both humid forest
and the arid Sahel. With human settlements
encroaching ever further into elephant habitats,
elephants have less space and the number
of human-elephant conflicts is increasing.
Roads and railways also split the elephant
range into isolated populations. Two-thirds
of the currently existing populations contain
less than 100 elephants, but only larger
groups have a chance for long-term survival.
At the meeting, delegates
agreed on a 3-year work programme from 2009-2011,
which was also endorsed by representatives
of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES). CMS, as the lead organization,
announced that it would provide EUR 30,000
towards its implementation.
Local communities and
NGO partners such as the IUCN and WWF will
study seasonal cross-border migrations of
the species. Genetic studies of forest and
savannah elephants will provide information
necessary for their management. Economic
benefits through ecotourism and other sources
will promote a peaceful coexistence of elephants
and local populations. Training of guards
and community representatives will enhance
capacities and support the implementation
of protection measures.
A major objective is
to reduce the continuous loss of elephant
habitat. The creation of new migration corridors
and alternative elephant habitats is intended
to mitigate conflicts between elephants
and humans. Involving local communities
in finding solutions to the causes of conflicts
is essential. Accompanying measures such
as outreach campaigns will focus on schools
and the targeted distribution of publications.
An important threat
to elephants remains illegal ivory trade.
Following a decision taken at a recent CITES
conference, government representatives have
now decided to strictly implement an action
plan to enhance controls and deal with illegal
domestic ivory markets, which are still
flourishing in parts of Africa. Regional
governments will also work together to obtain
information about poaching, train field
officers and guards and provide them with
the necessary equipment. In addition, a
technical network among the countries will
monitor elephant migrations.
The results from the
first meeting were taken up at the joint
meeting of representatives from CMS and
the CITES programme MIKE. Delegates developed
joint project proposals where their respective
governments could collaborate in selected
a trans-boundary areas.
CMS Executive Secretary
Robert Hepworth said: "The results
of the two meetings will make a real difference
for the conservation of elephants in West
Africa. Elephants play a key role in maintaining
forest and savannah ecosystems. We have
provided the platform for countries, UN
agencies, NGOs, research institutions and
local communities to work together to halt
the decline of one of the most remarkable
animal species and their habitats."
Notes to editors
The Memorandum of Understanding
concerning Conservation Measures for the
West African Populations of the African
Elephant (MoU) provides an international
framework for range state governments, scientists
and conservation groups to collaborate on
the conservation of elephant populations
and their habitats. It was concluded under
the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild
Animals (CMS) and entered into force on
23 November 2005 in close cooperation with
the African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG)
of the IUCN Species Survival Commission
(IUCN/SSC). 13 states have signed the agreement:
Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire,
Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali,
Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and
Togo.
CITES participated as
an observer at the CMS MoU meeting and jointly
hosted the CMS-MoU/CITES-MIKE meeting with
CMS. CMS and CITES concluded a MoU that
sets out a framework for cooperation between
the two organizations in 2002.
Veronika Lenarz
UNEP/CMS Secretariat
