Elephant population has fallen to 43,330, a drop of several thousand from the previous survey, figures released on Monday revealed.
Announcing the results of a new aerial survey, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Lazaro Nyalandu claimed the figures were a “mixed bag” with increases in some areas overshadowed by a dramatic fall in the Ruaha area from 20,000 in 2013 to 8,272 last year.
“We promise to take actions against poachers who are turning part of the country into a “slaughterhouse” so that we can rescue our elephants,” Nyalandu said.
He said successive waves of poaching have endangered whole populations of elephants and tarnished Tanzania’s image.
Nyalandu said although for a long time Ruaha national park has been accused of more poaching incidents, Rungwa has currently become the country’s poaching epicenter.
The survey team concluded that the migration is not a factor but major mortality rate but Nyalandu said some of the loss may be due not to poaching but to migration and announced a re-survey of the Ruaha-Rungwa area.
Nyalandu announced a number of measures to combat poaching including an increase in the number of rangers in the affected areas, new funding for anti-poaching efforts and a national law enforcement strategy to address the lack of successful prosecutions for poaching.
The Minister received pledges of support from the US and German Ambassadors and a donation of all-terrain vehicles, night-vision equipment and communications technology.
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