Botswana’s Devastating Elephant Slaughter

The shocking elephant slaughter in Botswana made headlines around the world this week. Over 90 large elephants were found dead, killed for their ivory tusks.

Elephants Without Borders, a conservation non-profit conducting an aerial elephant census survey, reported the massacre. Some describe it as one of Africa’s worst mass poaching sprees.

Up Close and Personal

This news struck a deeply personal chord. Two years ago I spent time following the elephants in the Linyanti River and Okavango Deltas of Botswana.

At dusk one evening I was at the Linyanti Swamp, an area of shallows, islands and streams. Concealed by the Safari truck, I lay in the grass and photographed as herd upon herd made their way through the water.

Lead by an imposing matriarch these were families, mothers, babies, siblings, cousins. The only sound was the rhythmic swishing of water and grass beneath their purposeful plod.

The elephants were yards from me. The guide motioned for me to lie still. It was unforgettable. These ancient magnificent creatures silhouetted against the gathering rosy African dusk. One of travel’s seminal moments.

Botswana The Last Refuge

Botswana is home to 130,000 elephants, the largest number in Africa. One of Africa’s most stable countries, it has an excellent wildlife record. Until now. It had largely escaped elephant slaughter and the ivory poaching crisis which is killing 30,000 elephants a year to supply Asian ivory demand. In bordering Zambia and Angola elephants have been almost poached to extinction.

So what happened? It seems more than coincidence this massacre happened months after the hugely popular Ian Khama, stepped down handing power to Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Khama was passionate about wildlife and had a zero-tolerance approach to poaching. Under Masisi policy has changed and rangers have been disarmed.

Are elephants now paying the ultimate price for this new policy?

Outstanding Template for Conservation – Lessons From Lewa

At Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Northern Rangeland Trust in Kenya there has been no poaching of elephant or rhino in the last five years due to a sophisticated security umbrella. Rangers are highly trained and use the latest technology. Edward Ndiritu who leads the Anti-Poaching Units recently won the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award.

There is much to be learned from the Lewa approach. They also work with the community, understanding why local farmers need to protect their crops. Elephant “corridors” have been introduced for safe passage of elephants so they can live in peace with villagers.

Are Elephants Headed for Extinction?

In the 1930’s and 40’s – just eighty years ago there were 3 – 5 million elephants in Africa. Today there are around 470,000. Each year more elephants are lost than the diminishing population can reproduce. Elephants are also a keystone species, they create and maintain ecosystems. The loss of elephants will cause major habitat chaos.

As Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants stated: “Elephants cannot be manufactured. Once they’re gone, they cannot be replaced.”

The fate of elephants rests in our hands.

Elephant Slaughter: You CAN Help

Support any of the organizations mentioned in this piece. Click on the links to learn more. Contribute if you can.

Support all Ivory Bans. Asian demand is growing with rising wealth.

Raise awareness – send this post to at least one friend.

As Dr. Jane Goodall said recently:

“I have spent hours and hours watching elephants, and come to understand what emotional creatures they are…it’s not just a species facing extinction, it’s massive individual suffering.”