Developing long-term law enforcement capacity to protect the Mali elephants Dr Susan Canney Mali Elephant Project susan.canney@zoo.ox.ac.uk
Timbuktu
Range of habitats
100km Timbuktu
100km Timbuktu
Photograph by Carlton Ward Jr
Photograph by Carlton Ward Jr
100km Timbuktu
Hamniganda
Lake Gossi
Conclusions 2006 Incremental degradation & increasing human activity all over the elephant range and beyond 5 years to start turning things around - 2 foresters posts for an area the size of Switzerland & no vehicles - No resources - No government morale or political will
If elephants disappear it means the environment is no longer good for us
Pasture reserve identified Eco-guardians create fire breaks Pasture at the end of the dry season & no need to buy forage at a premium Sale of hay Sale of grazing access rights Livestock worth 50% more, healthier, give more milk and produce more young Pasture protected from bush fires more forage for livestock and elephants
Inani No CBNRM systems in place N gaw-n gaw Established CBNRM
2011 fall of Gadaafi, return of Tuareg mercenaries and reignition of rebellion
Grain distribution
Elders & clan leaders Pledged to convey the message throughout the community and to the leaders of the armed groups.. Anyone who kills elephants steals from the local people Traditional chief of Ebanguimallen
Vigilance networks providing an occupation with status and preventing radicalisation but requested armed back-up
Jan-12 Feb-12 Mar-12 Apr-12 May-12 Jun-12 Jul-12 Aug-12 Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12 Dec-12 Jan-13 Feb-13 Mar-13 Apr-13 May-13 Jun-13 Jul-13 Aug-13 Sep-13 Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-14 Jul-14 Aug-14 Sep-14 Number of elephants illegally killed The situation in 2014 Poaching had begun in January 2012 By November 2014 lost 18 elephants Existing grant from ANPN-Gabon/Buffet 50 gardes forestiers recruited Security appeared to be improving 20 Conflict 10 0
IWT proposal OUTCOME: Mali has an improved capacity to co-ordinate activities in tracking and tracing elephant poaching, bringing poachers to justice and enforcing poaching laws. This will halt the current escalation of poaching by severely impeding the operation of elephant poaching and ivory trafficking networks in Mali, and thereby maintain elephant numbers. The increased government capacity will feed in to support local systems of resource management that improve livelihoods and make space for elephants, while increasing security. Radio-communications system 2 vehicles IWT training for regional DNEF
Number of elephants illegally killed 2015 End December 2014 sudden attention of external trafficking networks January Director of DNEF replaced January June: decrease in security associated with imminent signature of the peace accord Elephant census 90 80 70 Conflict 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
2015-2016 finding different ways of achieving the same goals
Radio-comms
Ranger training Military training for the 50. firearms. Firearms training. Deployment to the elephant range Military patrols interim Anti-poaching training
Elephants killed per month Elephants killed/month per year 9.00 8.00 7.00 6.00 5.00 4.00 3.00 2.00 1.00 0.00 APU success dependent on community information 2015 Jan-Dec 2016 Jan-Dec 2017 Jan-Dec 2018 Jan-Apr
Eco-guards
Experience of IWT Challenge Fund Ask for what is needed Allows for continual adaptation to unpredictable environment - continually find new ways to achieve the end goals Had to reduce our ambitions: when security decreases everything suddenly becomes more difficult and expensive Allowed us to leverage money from UN gamechanger Monitoring
To let strangers come and kill the elephants on our land is shameful for us The elephants mean we gain money for essentials without stealing or pillaging The elephant is one of many living beings, including man. It is therefore sacred and must be protected Elephants are the jewels of our land The presence of elephants is a sign that there are trees, grass, water and game: resources essential for our survival Thank you
Protection for Lake Banzena revision of the Partial Elephant Reserve
Jan-12 Mar-12 May-12 Jul-12 Sep-12 Nov-12 Jan-13 Mar-13 May-13 Jul-13 Sep-13 Nov-13 Jan-14 Mar-14 May-14 Jul-14 Sep-14 Nov-14 Jan-15 Mar-15 May-15 Jul-15 Sep-15 Nov-15 Jan-16 Mar-16 May-16 Jul-16 Sep-16 Nov-16 Jan-17 Mar-17 May-17 Jul-17 Sep-17 Nov-17 Jan-18 Mar-18 Number of elephants illegally killed No elephant poaching recorded February 2017 end March 2018 170 160 150 140 Conflict 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0