The Great Elephant Census To Begin This Year
Elephants Without Borders is undertaking a 2 year long census that will survey elephants and began last month.
The survey is the largest pan African aerial census of elephants since the 1970’s and is being calls the Great Elephant Census. The results are expected to provide important information that will be crucial for the future survival of the species. It is expected to return information such as population statistics and geographic range all of which will go a long way to helping conservation efforts.
“Over the past few years, I have documented with regret the slow retreat of elephants from habitats they were rapidly repopulating. The threat of local extinction feels very real. In October 2013, Elephants Without Borders flew a survey over a park where we had previously counted more than 2,000 elephants. We counted just 33 live elephants and 55 elephant carcasses. That is why this research is so important.” said Dr. Mike Chase, director and founder, Elephants Without Borders.
Elephants Without Borders has earned a reputation for offering both meaningful and novel information that can be used to help conserve the African elephant. The organisation will work in close collaboration with various domestic conservation groups and state governments in conducting the survey.
It is estimated the survey will take two years to complete. During the first year the elephant population will be surveyed across 22 countries representing approximately 95 per cent of the elephants in the African savanna. In the second year the data will be analyzed and the findings will be packaged. The first set of results are expected to be delivered by the middle of 2015 and will be shared amongst various interested parties.
The survey will make use of 46 scientists, 18 planes which will fly approximately 18,000 hours over 7 months. Various African governments will participate as well as a variety of organisations including the IUCN, WWF and African Elephant Specialists Group.
There has been a dramatic reduction in the global population of elephants as the animals are poached to feed insatiable demand for ivory in Asia. In 2012 it is estimated 30,000 elephants were slaughtered.
