http://uk.reuters.com/article/...dUKTRE81G10720120217


Poachers kill 200 elephants in Cameroon killing spree

By Tansa Musa

YAOUNDE | Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:44pm GMT

(Reuters) - Poachers have killed more than 200 elephants in Cameroon in just six weeks, in a "massacre" fuelled by Asian demand for ivory.

A local government official said heavily armed poachers from Chad and Sudan had decimated the elephant population of Bouba Ndjida National Park in Cameroon's far north in a dry season killing spree.


"We are talking about a very serious case of trans-frontier poaching, involving well-armed poachers with modern weapons from Sudan and Chad who are decimating this wildlife species to make quick money from the international ivory trade," said Gambo Haman, governor of Cameroon's North region.

Speaking on local radio, Haman said some of the poachers were on horseback and operated in cahoots with the local population, who were given free elephant meat and were glad to be rid of animals that damage their crops.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said cross-border poaching was common during the dry season but the scale of the killings so far this year was unprecedented.

"This latest massacre is massive and has no comparison to those of the preceding years," the group said in a statement.

Citing a record number of large scale ivory seizures in 2011, TRAFFIC, a conservation group which tracks trends in wildlife trading, has warned of a surge in elephant poaching in Africa to meet Asian demand for tusks for use in jewelry and ornaments.

Underlining the clout of the poaching force, Haman said a group of 50 had killed six Chadian soldiers who tried to arrest them as they fled with the ivory.

"In January we counted 146 (elephant) carcasses and since the beginning of this month we've had close to 60 already. This may only be a tip of the iceberg as some may have been killed in parts of the park that we cannot access," Haman added.

Cameroon has dispatched a rapid reaction force to the zone but Haman said there were not enough troops to cover the remote park in Cameroon's far north.

IFAW said it was not clear how many elephants remained in Cameroon but a 2007 estimate but the figure a between 1,000 and 5,000.

TRAFFIC has said that the spike in poaching and illegal ivory trade in Africa was a direct consequence of China's investment drive into the continent.

(Writing by David Lewis,; Editing by Rosalind Russell)


Environment

Were killed 6 guys from anti-poaching team one hunting company. I have hunted not too far in the same time ( another company). One of ours trakker has brother in this team.We got this information last day of my trip, 6 Feb.
Africa becoming more dangerous.
Thank you China.

I am heading to the forest in Cameroon for Bongo in May. Are these forest elephants or Savanah elephants?

quote:

Originally posted by RichP470:
I am heading to the forest in Cameroon for Bongo in May. Are these forest elephants or Savanah elephants?

Rich: Up north. Savannah. Easy for those guys from Chad and Sudan to come in and out of the country. Tougher or impossible to operate a poaching ring of that magnitude, move ivory out of the country, etc down south in the forest.

This is very depressing news. I was in zone 10(which borders the park)last month and the place was crawling with elephant. Fresh sign was everywhere(everywhere!) but the animals were no where to be seen. And I covered a lot of miles.

These elephant had moved into the area just a few months before.

The elephant's sudden appearance and skittish behavior would point to there being some truth to the claims that major poaching is going on in the park.

On the other hand..... While I was leaving Cameroon I met one of Cam Greig's friends. The guy is an American missionary, hunter and real wildlife nut. He and his wife do a lot of photography in the national parks.

Anyway, when I told him about all the elephants in zone 10(he has hunted there in past years) he mentioned that they may be the elephants "missing" from the national park. When I questioned him he said that a herd of 200 elephants that resided in the park had "disappeared". From what he said it did not sound like anyone knew what had happened to them.

I wonder if this government official has actually found the carcasses of the poached elephants, or if he is just "guessing" that they were poached. I say this because it is a pretty wild and remote area and it would not have been burned until last month. From my experience finding the carcasses of poached elephant would be extremely difficult.

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/w...photo-222116934.html


Link to photo of carcasses

Kathi
Thank you for posting the article and the photos. I am holding out hope that the majority of the elephants got away from the poachers and have simply left the park.

I'm probably wrong, but I am holding out hope....

What a desaster and waste!