By Apolinari Tairo
Published May 6, 2014
A special conference to address elephant conservation and anti-poaching initiatives shall be held in Dar es Salaam on May 9, 2014.
RELATED: Hotel Industry Declares Poachers Africa’s Public Enemy Number One
Organised by the Government of Tanzania in collaboration with the International Conservation Caucus Foundation (ICCF) of the United States of America and the United Nations Development Programme, the summit is expected to attract national and international stakeholders in conservation of wildlife.
Poaching for wildlife parts and meat for domestic consumption is an ongoing phenomenon in Africa, much of it is small-scale poaching for domestic consumption in poor communities.
UNDP, in a report ahead of the scheduled Elephant Conference, says that Africa has in the past few years witnessed an exponential escalation in poaching, spurred by international demand for elephant ivory and rhino horn.
This situation has corresponded in a striking shift in terms of the focus of poaching for elephant tusks and rhino horns, rather than a range of species including game. Numbers of poached elephants have soared up to 400 elephants killed in one day in Africa, according to UNDP.
Poaching of elephants and other rare species in Africa has so far attracted the use of high-tech military weapons and tools, including helicopters and high-tech surveillance equipment and weaponry by poachers.
Tourism accounts for 17% of Tanzania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs more than 300,000 people.
RELATED: Ethiopian Airlines Introduces Daily Flights to Shanghai and Vienna
An eTurboNews article
]
