Kenya observed World Elephant Day Monday, with campaigners and scientists intensifying calls for the protection of super tusker elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, which straddles the Kenya-Tanzania border.
NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya observed World Elephant Day Monday, with campaigners and scientists intensifying calls for the protection of super tusker elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, which straddles the Kenya-Tanzania border.
Of the 2,000 elephants inhabiting this cross-border region, 10 are distinguished as super tuskers, known for their colossal tusks weighing up to 100 pounds (approximately 45 kg). These majestic giants face threats from trophy hunting, poaching, habitat loss, and climatic stress, according to campaigners.
Paula Kahumbu, chief executive officer of WildlifeDirect, a Nairobi-based wildlife conservation lobby, said at a briefing in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, that conserving the super tusker elephants has immense ecological and livelihood imperative, calling for a rescinding of licenses permitting the trophy hunting of super tusker elephants in the Amboseli rangelands.
Observed annually on Aug. 12, World Elephant Day aims to bring attention to the plight of African and Asian elephants and advocate for their protection amid mounting threats such as illegal poaching and mistreatment in captivity.
The 2024 World Elephant Day was held under the theme, titled "Personifying prehistoric beauty, theological relevance and environmental importance," underscoring the need to conserve natural habitats for the iconic giant mammals.
In Kenya, conservation lobby groups said they will petition the Tanzania government to ban the trophy hunting of super tusker elephants and reverse their declining population.
According to Kahumbu, five super tusker elephants have been killed by trophy hunters in the last eight months in the greater Amboseli ecosystem amid the threat of extinction.
Festus Ihwagi, senior scientist and research policy lead at Save the Elephants, a Nairobi-based elephants conservation lobby, called for cross-border initiatives to protect the remaining super tuskers, given their unique genetic traits and significant role in ecotourism.
In addition, Ihwagi advocated for better protection of their dispersal routes within the Amboseli ecosystem to reduce poaching and human-elephant conflicts. Ihwagi said that diplomatic engagement between Kenya and Tanzania will be key to imposing a ban on trophy hunting of these genetically exceptional elephants.
Tiassa Mutunkei, founder of Teens4Wildlife, a youth-led wildlife conservation lobby, stressed that super tusker elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem should be allowed to thrive, rather than face the threats posed by trophy hunting. ■
