THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT – A SOUTH AFRICAN

PERSPECTIVE

WORKSHOP ONTHE ELEPHANTS AND CITES: THE SOUTHERN

AFRICAN COUNTRIES PERSPECTIVEBRUSSELS, 7 OCTOBER 2002

THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT IN SOUTH AFRICA

• 1902 – Establishment of the Kruger National Park (KNP)• 1910 – ± 120 in isolated populations• 1926 – Establishment of South African National Parks Board• 1967 – Elephant management programme initiated• 1967 – Accumulation of ivory• 1980 – Translocation of elephants from KNP• 1995 – Moratorium on culling

THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT IN SOUTH AFRICA - CURRENT

POSITION• 2002 - ±13 000 animals distributed throughout country in

protected and fenced areas• Ownership

– State– Private

• Establishment of TFCAs• South African population viable and increasing• Elephant not endangered in South Africa

Impacts on biodiversity

• Change in vegetation in KNP• Impact of overpopulation

SA, CITES and the AFRICAN ELEPHANT

• 1989 - Transfer to Appendix I• 1989 – Reservation but moratorium on trade• 1994 – Proposal to transfer population to

Appendix II• 2000 – Population transferred to Appendix II

Control measures

• Legislation• 1993 – Establishment of the ESPU• 1993 – Establishment of the Environmental

Crime Investigation Services in SANParks

Poaching in South Africa

• Poaching in KNP

1

102

52

29

11

5 6 8

0

9

16

28

912

3

12

51 2 2 0 0 0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

110

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

YEAR

NUM

BER

OF E

LEPH

ANTS

POA

CHED

Poaching (cont’d)

• SA as a conduit for illegal trade– History– Kumleben Commission of Inquiry

• ETIS– Number of incidents reported

SA proposal to CoP12

• Trade in hunting for non-commercial purposes

• Trade in live animals• Trade in hides and leather goods• Trade in ivory

– Stock pile of 30 tonnes– Annual quota of 2 tonnes