1. What you need to know about the growing crisis facing elephants
Scott Roberton Ph. D
Wildlife Conservation Society

2. Elephas maximus Loxodonta africana
Possibly three subspecies:
E. m. indicus on the Asian mainland,
E. m. maximus on Sri Lanka,
E. m. sumatranus on Sumatra.
Loxodonta africana
Possibly two species:
Savanna Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Forest Elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis).

3. Elephas maximus 13 Asian countries 30,000-50,000 Globally Endangered
50% over last yrs

4. E.g. In Vietnam elephant populations have crashed in the last 25 years from 2000 to less than 50

5. Loxodonta africana
37 African countries
400, ,000
Vulnerable
30% over last yrs

7. Expanding human populations and shrinking elephant habitat =
Increased human-elephant conflict

8. 2009-2010: China makes 2 ivory seizures/day
Organized crime gangs are driving a massive resurgence in large-scale illegal ivory trade from Africa to Asian markets

9. Gabon 2011 (Fay)

10. Northeastern Vietnam (Haiphong-Quang Ninh) a major route for illegal ivory trade flows from Africa
Total: 18,429kg Ivory reported seized
Thai Binh
Over 800kg kg
Less 100kg
Ivory seizures reported in the
Vietnamese media

11. Global Ivory trade flows

12. Why a New Crisis? Economic growth in Asia
Extractive industry in Africa
New access routes
Arms proliferation
Organized crime

13. Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna
To allow:
Stockpile auctions
Non-commercial export of hunting trophy, live animals, hides, leather goods, ivory and carvings
CITES App I
Asian Elephants and most African Elephants:
CITES App I
No international commercial trade
CITES is a key tool for management of international and domestic ivory trade and elephant conservation with a number of programs and initiatives under the Secretariat
Asian elephants are all included in CITES Appendix I banning all international commercial trade in species and their products (such as ivory) among parties to the convention.
African elephants are included in Appendix I, apart from the populations of Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. These populations have been down-listed to Appendix II (see above). This Appendix II listing was to allow ‘one-off’ CITES-approved sales, the export of hunting trophies for non-commercial purposes, export of live animals, export of hides, and export of leather goods and ivory carvings for non-commercial purposes.

CITES
App II

14. Stockpile management Store, Destroy or Sell?
Ivory stockpile management
Auctions

15. Turning to Liz’s next criterion, of all the animals species in Africa, elephants have by far the greatest ecological impact. They pull down trees, opening up bushland and creating savannas, and they create waterholes for other animals.

16. Omphalocarpum elatum – dispersed only by elephants
In Africa’s rainforests, they are indispensible for regenerating many tree species, whose large, tough seeds can only be eaten and dispersed by elephants. If we lose elephants from forests and savannas, we lose countless other species, the very function of these ecosystems, and the services they provide to people.
Blake 2007

18. What’s needed