
Mali’s Desert Elephants, on Edge of Annihilation, Get a Fighting Chance - nevatiaritika
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/29/world/africa/mali-elephants-gourma.html
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vinceguidry
The leader of the new anti-poaching group, Rory Young, is active on Quora,
when he can anyway, and his writing is gripping. If you join Quora for no
other reason, you should join it for his posts:

[https://www.quora.com/profile/Rory-
Young-1](https://www.quora.com/profile/Rory-Young-1)

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knight17
There is a link between power structures and illegal activity. It is
heartening to see this positive development where both government and
communities are working together. As the article suggested, the poachers along
with the entire network of supply chain [0] of illegal ivory trade should be
dismantled by prosecuting all those who are involved, else this will only be a
temporary gain.

After narcotics and weapons, animal trafficking is listed as the most
lucrative illicit trade commodity. [1]

Countries like Tanzania should take note. The Economist reports [2] that
"Every third poached elephant in Africa dies on the watch of Tanzania’s
president, Jakaya Kikwete". Just two months back, Wayne Lotter, an elephant
conservationist was shot dead in Tanzania [3].

The solution is not easy: _" a gate-keeper state” run by corrupt politicians,
with wildlife policy too heavily influenced by “prima-bwanas” – heads of
international NGOS. Local people get left out. Poorer, marginal communities’
land and grazing rights get nibbled away. They have lived alongside elephants
for centuries but are being neglected and excluded. Vulnerable, they succumb
to the offer of money so they can live. Supporting and strengthening
communities so they can manage wildlife responsibly from the bottom up, with
some controlled hunting, is an argument that many wildlife experts have come
to see is the only long term viable solution."_ [0]

0 : [http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2017/01/27/book-review-
iv...](http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/africaatlse/2017/01/27/book-review-ivory-power-
and-poaching-in-africa-by-keith-somerville/)

1 : [https://www.cfr.org/blog/lords-resistance-army-and-
elephant-...](https://www.cfr.org/blog/lords-resistance-army-and-elephant-
poaching)

2 : [https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-
africa/216312...](https://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-
africa/21631202-claims-links-between-politicians-and-poachers-merit-further-
investigation-big)

3 :
[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/17/leading-...](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/17/leading-
elephant-conservationist-ivory-shot-dead-in-tanzania)

[https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/tackling-illicit-african-
wi...](https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/tackling-illicit-african-wildlife-
trade)

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neximo64
Slight note, Tanzania's president is not Jakaya Kikwete.

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gaius
The US Army Rangers would be ideal for this work.

~~~
lorenzfx
I know you are joking, but it's not that far fetched
[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/30/us-
army-...](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/30/us-army-
veterans-find-peace-protecting-rhinos-poaching-south-africa)

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LoSboccacc
So guns do work as deterrent?

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ionised
Do you have an elephant poaching problem in the US?

~~~
LoSboccacc
did I mentioned the US?

