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Conserving Africa's Elephants

Building Capacity for Elephant Conservation and Management

As the previous sections have indicated, there is much work to be undertaken in the context of elephant conservation and management in Africa. Perhaps the best guarantee that this can be done will be through building the capacity of individuals and instit utions in the range states to conserve and manage their elephant herds. Such capacity is needed in virtually all areas, from understanding the impact of elephants on biodiversity, the effect of poaching on population age structure and behaviour, through t o species protection, and law enforcement.

This means that extensive resources must be invested in training at all levels, that is to say: in local communities; in wildlife scouts, rangers, and game wardens; in community extension officers; and from primary school pupils through to post-graduate s tudents. Such an effort in capacity building need not be focused exclusively on elephants as such, but should encompass all the fields which pertain to their conservation and management.

PhotoWhile it is true that in some locations the field of elephant conservation is still dominated by Northern expatriates, this is changing as more young African managers and scientists become involv ed. Many men and women, however, are now being charged with the future of Africa's elephants without the benefit of the training or the equipment necessary for them to adequately accomplish their tasks.

Relatively few African nationals, for example, have been trained in ground, or aerial, survey techniques; fewer still have taken part in such surveys. There has been very limited training in creating and administering intelligence networks, and in the eff ective deployment of personnel and equipment, and much of the training provided in such schools as Mweka and Garoua is outdated. Remarkably few African nationals are involved in studying the illegal trade in elephant products; in drafting enabling legisla tion for the implementation of international treaties such as CITES; in learning to effectively prosecute trade violations; or in actively lobbying their positions in international fora. These, and many more areas concerned with the conservation of the Af rican elephant, require new, young, and competent professionals.

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