Demand for ivory fuels elephant poaching

Increased demand for ivory has led to upsurge of elephant poaching, Wildlife Assistant Minister Josphat Nanok has said.

The price of ivory increased from Sh1,500 a kilo in 2007 to Sh10,000 currently, a situation Nanok said has encouraged poachers to kill elephants.

A total of 3,900kg of ivory, which translates to about Sh39 million have been seized from poachers in the recent past.

Nanok told Parliament 298 elephants were slaughtered in 2008 and last year, and out of this 38 had been poached within the protected areas while 260 were poached outside the protected areas.

But North Horr MP Chachu Ganya claimed the minister gave conservative figures pointing out that 300 elephants had been killed.

The minister said the market for ivory is mostly in the Asian countries, especially China.

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Concerns raised

"The demand increased after downgrading of the elephant by Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species to allow a one off sale of government ivory stock piles by southern African countries in 2008," said Nanok.

Mosop MP David Koech, Emuhaya MP Wilbur Otichillo, Lari MP David Njunguna and Keiyo North MP Lucas Chepkitony raised concerns over steps the Government had taken to protect the animals.

In response, Nanok said the Government had stepped up its surveillance as well as putting up a dog unit at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to detect ivory in transit.

The Government, he said, is also involved in awareness campaigns to emphasise the importance of wildlife conservation.

However, Nanok said inadequate funds for recruitment of more game warders had contributed to the problem. Laikipia, Samburu, Marsabit, Tana River, Kajiado, Turkana, Malindi, Keiyo, Naivasha and Tsavo are among areas affected by poaching.