A group of poachers in Zimbabwe have killed more than 80 elephants by poisoning them with cyanide. The demand for illegally trafficked ivory has sparked an elephant killing spree around the region.
According to CNN, 87 elephants have been found dead in Hwange National Park since May and it seems that they were poisoned. Poachers use natural salt licks that are laced with poison to kill the animals. Poachers have gotten away with 123 tusks. The parks authority was able to recover another 51.
Zimbabwe's Environment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said he is pushing for stronger penalties to curb poaching.
"That will be one of my missions in the new parliament, given the recent case of elephants which were poisoned by poachers," said Kasukuwere, who visited the park twice.
Five suspected poachers were arrested in August after 41 elephants were found dead in the park. Three of the suspects were convicted and will be sentenced this week.
The anti-poaching organization, the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, believe the deaths could have been prevented if Harare had stricter poaching rules.
"They need to be given some extensive jail time. If it was, they wouldn't carry on doing it," the organization's chairman, Johnny Rodrigues told CNN. He says that the country hasn't done enough to punish poachers and has given the impression that there are more elephants than there really are.
"They want permission from CITES to sell the ivory they have in stock and they think they will get it if there are too many elephants here," Rodrigues said, referring to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. He says there are only 35,000 elephants in the country but the park claims there are 45,000.
Rodrigues says elephants won't be the only victims of cyanide poisoning. "When other animals and birds feed on the rotting elephant carcasses, they will also die from the poison. Hundreds of animals are now at risk," he told CNN.
There may also be more dead elephants which have not been found yet. The killings are part of a surge in the illicit ivory trade. The International Fund for Animal Welfare and the WWF says 30,000 African elephants are killed annually now.
"Elephants were killed for their ivory in record numbers in 2011 and 2012, and some rhinoceros subspecies have become extinct or are on the verge of extinction," it said according to CNN. "Rangers are regularly killed by poachers, and some of the world's poorest countries continue to see their wildlife decimated for the black market in wild animals and parts. Meanwhile, the profits realized from the illegal trade in wildlife have surged to levels once reserved for legally traded precious metals. Criminal and violent groups around the world have become the main actors exploiting this global industry."
There is a high demand for ivory in Asia as it is used in traditional medicines and handmade products in China.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
