Nations that are part of an international agreement on trade in endangered species on Tuesday agreed to limit the sale of wild elephants caught in Zimbabwe and Botswana, delighting conservationists, but dismaying some of the African nations involved.
Wildlife experts said that a resolution approved by parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, was a “momentous win” for elephants as it restricts their sale to zoos.
The EU tweaked the language of the resolution to reach a compromise that limits exports of live elephants outside of Africa, but allows for some exceptions relevant to Europe.
Photo: AFP
Conservationists explained the change by giving an example, saying that it would allow for an elephant already in France to be shipped to Germany without having to be sent back to Africa first.
However, the resolution also means that zoos would no longer be able to import wild-caught African elephants to the US, China and many other nations beyond the elephants’ natural habitat.
The resolution passed by a vote of 87 in favor, 29 against and 25 abstaining.
Animal advocates applauded the move, even though some felt that it did not go far enough.
“While it is disappointing that it is not an outright ban on trade in live elephants, the new language adds vital independent oversight and scrutiny,” Humane Society International wildlife director Audrey Delsink said.
“The capture of wild African elephants for export to zoos and other captive facilities is incredibly traumatizing for individual elephants as well as their social groups,” she said in a statement.
Dozens of celebrities, including British actress Judi Dench and comedian Ricky Gervais, had signed a letter to the president of the European Commission saying that it would be “obscene for the EU to endorse snatching wild baby elephants and condemning these beautiful leviathans to a life of captive misery.”
Renowned primatologist Jane Goodall weighed in, saying that she was “absolutely shocked” at the idea of separating young elephants from their families and shipping them off to zoos.
Animal Welfare Institute wildlife biologist D.J. Schubert said that the lobbying by celebrities paid off.
“Probably thanks to the celebrities that got involved and all the press attention this initial decision got, the European Union was put in a bit of a box,” Schubert said.
The EU’s action was part of a debate over language at CITES to restrict trade in live elephants to nations with “in-situ conservation programs” or secure areas in the wild — essentially in Africa.
Some African officials said that the proposal would deny them some much-needed cash and that they should be free to do what they wished with their elephants.
“The government has been pumping out a lot of money for conservation with no real return, yet our government has competing social needs,” Zimbabwean Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo said. “We view our animals as an economic opportunity, so we should sell our elephants.”
Zimbabwe, Botswana Namibia and other southern African countries are to meet for consultations following the CITES meeting, Farawo said.
“We cannot continue to be hamstrung and told what to do with our resources,” Farawo said. “We cannot continue to allow powerful countries and NGOs [non-governmental organizations] to set the agenda when the elephants are ours,” he said, denying any conservation concern.
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