MORE ELEPHANTS HAVE DIED FROM CLIMATE CHANGE THAN FROM POACHING

Thu 28 July 2022:

Climate change is exacting its toll on Kenya’s elephant population. According to reports, the Kenyan government considers climate change to be a greater threat to the population of “gentle giants” than poaching.

Tsavo National Park in Kenya, one of the world’s largest parks, has lost 179 elephants in the last eight months alone.

“We had nine elephants poached in the last eight months and 179 elephants dying because of drought. That is a huge number. The time is ripe to discuss climate change,” Najib Balala, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism told local media.

Strategy

Balala further stated that his government had taken note of the impact of climate change and developed National Wildlife Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2022-203 to address the threats.

The destruction of forests and the natural habitat zones of Elephants are contributing to the changing weather patterns. In an African country like Kenya, the prolonged hot weather due to climate change means that most water bodies run out of water.

Over the past decade, Kenya has experienced some of the most severe drought conditions in the last 40 years. According to recent statistics, the population of elephants in Kenya stands at 36,000 which is a considerable improvement from 1989 when numbers stood at 16,000. However, the imminent threat of climate change threatens to undo all the good work.

Funding

The Kenyan minister also stated that such conservation programs require financial support. African nations must strive for financial sustainability rather than relying on donors.

Furthermore, in addition to climate change, human-animal conflict over space sharing is posing a significant challenge to elephant conservation.

It’s not the first time that elephants have died of starvation in an African nation. In 2019, 600 elephants were relocated due to acute starvation caused by drought in Zimbabwe. The relocation process was only prompted when 200 elephants had already died. Climate change is real and those objecting to it are merely trying to conjure an alternate reality in their heads.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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