Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania’s largest protected area, was home to one
of the greatest concentrations of African elephants on the continent,
but rampant ivory poaching has seen the population reduced by 90 per
cent in fewer than 40 years. Nearly 110,000 elephants once roamed the
savannahs, wetlands and forests of Selous, but now only about 15,000
remain in the ecosystem.
The analysis, produced for WWF by Dalberg Global Development Advisors,
shows how the loss of Selous’ elephants would have a negative effect on
Tanzania’s nature based economy, putting the livelihoods of 1.2 million
people at risk. Travel and tourism in Selous generate US$6 million
annually, and the industry represents a combined yearly contribution of
US$5 billion to the GDP of Tanzania, which holds world renowned assets
such as Mount Kilimanjaro and Serengeti National Park.
One of Africa’s oldest reserves could see its elephant population
decimated by 2022 if urgent measures are not taken to stem
industrial-scale poaching, according to a new analysis by WWF.
In 2014, UNESCO placed Selous on its List of World Heritage in Danger
due to the severity of elephant poaching. At the recent peak of the
crisis, an average of six Selous elephants were being gunned down by
criminal syndicates each day.
In order for Selous to be removed from UNESCO’s in danger list, WWF is
calling for greater effort in combatting wildlife crime, an assessment
of the impacts of proposed industrial activities, investment in
sustainable tourism infrastructure, and an equitable distribution of
benefits to nearby communities.
I think, achieving zero elephant poaching is
a path toward fulfilling its sustainable development potential. As a human, we shouldn't poaching animals and must ensure that this natural treasure is protected from harm. Because the large wilderness areas are dependent on its
large wildlife populations and pristine ecosystems, especially Selous, which is the only natural World Heritage site in southern Tanzania and
one of the largest wilderness areas left in Africa.
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