Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has raised concerns over the alarming decline in Nigeria’s elephant population, stating that the country’s elephant numbers have plummeted from approximately 1,500 to an estimated 300-400.
According to The PUNCH, he made this disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja during the launch of a 10-year National Elephant Action Plan aimed at reversing the decline.
Salako emphasized the critical role elephants play in maintaining the health of ecosystems, describing them as essential “ecosystem engineers” and “forest gardeners” that contribute significantly to fostering biodiversity.
He noted that the current population of elephants in Nigeria is estimated to be around 400, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect these vital creatures and their habitats.
The drastic reduction in elephant numbers underscores the severe threats these animals face, ranging from poaching to habitat loss, and calls for immediate and sustained intervention.
The newly launched National Elephant Action Plan is expected to address these challenges and provide a strategic framework for the conservation of elephants in Nigeria over the next decade.
“In many cultures, they are a source of livelihood sustenance, especially through eco-tourism. Sadly, in our country, they have suffered an 86 per cent population decline over the last 30 years with the population of Elephants in Nigeria estimated to be about 400 as of 2021.
“Nigeria’s elephant population is under severe threat, particularly the small, isolated populations of forest elephants who are believed to reproduce much more slowly than savanna elephants and are even more vulnerable to poaching than previously thought.
“You will agree with me that there can be no more appropriate time for this occasion than now considering the above worrisome revelation and the recent incidences of elephant captures and killings in some parts of the country last year. These are in addition to other numerous threats including habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.”
He added that “As a way out and in line with a key priority agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to unlock our natural resources for sustainable development, the NEAP being launched today, is designed to be inter alia, a tool for planning and monitoring elephant conservation measures and will serve as a framework for the strategies and decision-making of all relevant government institutions, donor agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations.”
The minister explained that the plan will serve as a strategic framework to coordinate all stakeholders involved in elephant conservation and management.
He also emphasized that the document is designed to be adaptable, allowing strategies to evolve in response to emerging threats, challenges, and opportunities.
“It emphasises habitat protection, anti-poaching measures, community engagement, and sustainable management practices thus creating a harmonious coexistence between humans and elephants, ensuring that both can thrive.
“One of the key pillars of the NEAP is community involvement which is apposite to successful conservation efforts. We will therefore be working more closely with communities to develop sustainable livelihoods and community conservation carbon credit schemes that could assist to improve community well-being and consequently reduce activities that are harmful to elephants and their habitats.”
Furthermore, he highlighted that the action plan emphasizes the importance of strong law enforcement and the enhancement of anti-poaching units through a multi-sectoral and collaborative approach.
“We will enhance collaboration with national and international partners to combat wildlife crime and bring perpetrators to justice. By making conservation economically rewarding, leveraging modern technology and intelligence-sharing, we aim to disrupt the illegal wildlife trade networks that threaten our elephants,” he explained.
Providing an overview of the NEAP document, Andrew Dunn, Country Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society, revealed that the remaining elephants in Nigeria are confined to small, isolated forest fragments.
He warned that if current trends persist, these populations could be eradicated in under a decade. Dunn also pointed out that elephants are increasingly competing with people for land and dwindling natural resources.
“NEAP is the last chance for the survival of elephants in Nigeria. Nigeria is one of the few countries in Africa that has both savanna elephants and forest elephants. In only 30 years, Nigeria’s elephant population has crashed from 1,500 to an estimated 300-400.
“NEAP is to reduce the illegal killing of elephants, reduce illegal trade in elephant products, maintain all existing inhabitat and restore connectivity, increase awareness of the importance of elephant conservation, improve knowledge and understanding through research, strengthen transboundary conservation, and improve cooperation and collaboration with local communities.
“Nigeria has lost 99 per cent of the original elephant population. The 10-year action plan contains all the actions needed to save elephants in Nigeria,” he stated.
The Chairperson of the Elephant Protection Initiative Leadership Council, Sharon Ikeazor, emphasized that the African elephant is not only an iconic species but also a keystone of ecosystems and a symbol of natural heritage.
Ikeazor, a former Minister of State for Environment, added that the EPI Foundation is dedicated to assisting national governments with technical and financial support.
This includes developing and implementing their NEAPs to ensure effective elephant protection and conservation on a country-by-country basis.
“This NEAP is multifaceted, involving local communities’ engagement in our conservation efforts. It also has law enforcement, habitat restoration, enhanced ecotourism, and international collaboration. It is also focusing on strengthening our legal framework and ensuring that they are effectively enforced.
“The success of Nigeria’s NEAP hinges on our collective effort, and it is only through sustained partnerships and unwavering dedication that we can achieve our goal. So we must leverage the power of education and public awareness. Changing attitudes and behaviors is crucial if we are to win the fight against poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
“I am confident that with the right education and awareness campaigns, we can foster a culture of conservation that will support the objectives of this action plan and reduce human-elephant conflicts,” she said.
Head of Cooperation for the European Union delegation to Nigeria, Ruben Alba, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s conservation initiatives.
During his remarks, Alba called on the government and other stakeholders to collaborate in protecting elephants for the benefit of future generations.
His statement underscores the EU’s ongoing dedication to bolstering conservation efforts and addressing the challenges facing Nigeria’s wildlife.
