FG Reveals National Action Plan to Tackle Elephant Poaching

The Nigerian government has unveiled a comprehensive 10-year National Elephant Action Plan (NEAP) aimed at combating elephant poaching and wildlife crime.

The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, highlighted the severe threat to Nigeria's elephant population, which has plummeted from 1,500 to an estimated 300-400 over the past three decades.

He emphasized that elephants are critical ecosystem engineers and a source of livelihood through eco-tourism. However, they have suffered an 86 percent population decline due to poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict.

Dr. Salako stated, "Nigeria’s elephant population is under severe threat, particularly the small, isolated populations of forest elephants who are believed to reproduce much more slowly than savanna elephants and are even more vulnerable to poaching than previously thought."

He added that the NEAP would serve as a strategic framework for planning and monitoring elephant conservation measures, involving all relevant government institutions, donor agencies, and NGOs.

The plan focuses on habitat protection, anti-poaching measures, community engagement, and sustainable management practices. It aims to create a harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants, ensuring both can thrive.

One of the key pillars of the NEAP is community involvement, with efforts to develop sustainable livelihoods and community conservation carbon credit schemes to reduce activities harmful to elephants and their habitats.

The action plan also emphasizes robust law enforcement and strengthening anti-poaching units using a multi-sectoral and collaborative approach.

Dr. Salako stressed, "We will enhance collaboration with national and international partners to combat wildlife crime and bring perpetrators to justice. By making conservation economically rewarding, leveraging modern technology and intelligence-sharing, we aim to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade networks that threaten our elephants."

Andrew Dunn, the Country Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society, warned that if current trends continue, Nigeria's elephants could be wiped out in less than ten years.

He noted, "NEAP is the last chance for the survival of elephants in Nigeria. Nigeria is one of the few countries in Africa that has both savanna elephants and forest elephants. In only 30 years, Nigeria’s elephant population has crashed from 1,500 to an estimated 300-400."

Sharon Ikeazor, Chairperson of the Elephant Protection Initiative Leadership Council, emphasized the multifaceted nature of the NEAP, which includes local community engagement, law enforcement, habitat restoration, enhanced ecotourism, and international collaboration.

She stated, "The success of Nigeria’s NEAP hinges on our collective effort, and it is only through sustained partnerships and unwavering dedication that we can achieve our goal."

Ruben Alba, Head of Cooperation for the European Union delegation to Nigeria, reiterated the EU's commitment to supporting Nigeria's conservation efforts and urged all stakeholders to join forces in safeguarding elephants for future generations.