Collateral damage from South Africa’s stunning arrogance on “the cull”
By Debra Durham • May 28th, 2008 • Category: ElephantsA recent report from the vicinity of the Parc National de Virunga in DRC reveals that yet another elephant has fallen victim to the poaching enabled by the “cull” approved by the South African government earlier this month.
“We are very worried because it is starting to look like there is someone in our area who is buying ivory. The elephants killings are continuing and it is clear that the demand in ivory has re-emerged.”
Warning that there is a very graphic photo on the site, along with further detail: Another Dead Elephant
A different group working in the same area, Conserve Virunga, notes the difficulty in monitoring the few hundred elephants in the park:
“Elephants in Virunga have been killed in Virunga for the trophy. Due to the occupancy of the park by armed groups, elephants have moved to areas closed to ranger posts with limited movement. Once they want to move, they are killed and forced to stay in limited area.”
By sanctioning the genocide of elephants inside their own borders, South Africa has re-invigorated the market for ivory and sent a message that elephants can be killed when it suits the whims of humans. Invoking science to justify elephant slaughter is shameful.
