Botswana lauded for its elephant conservation at global wildlife trade conference
Botswana was lauded at the recent global conference on endangered species trade for its exceptional management of its elephant population.
The southern African country is among countries that have adopted the Monitoring Illegal Killing of Elephant (MIKE) programme, managed by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to conserve and manage its elephant population. MIKE is a tool developed by CITES that is used for the monitoring of illegal killing of elephants and also assists in clarifying the source of ivory.
Speaking during the event hosted by MIKE following the just- ended annual CITES conference,
Botswanas Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Philda Kereng stated that MIKE has proved to be a functional monitoring tool for the southern african nation.
She said it has been implemented within the context of broader spatial planning initiatives, including the Elephant management and Action plan 2021- 2026, adding that CITES MIKE is a crucial part of Botswanas Elephant management plan.
Botswana has also developed an Ivory Stockpile Management system to ensure that its stockpile is well managed. The development for this Elephant Management Plan began in June 2018 with four national consultations resulting in the draft plan launched in December 2019, and the final plan launched in March 2021.
The Elephant Plan indicates that Botswana is resourced for the conservation and management of wildlife resources including elephants that have decreased as funds have been diverted to other competing resources.
Revenues generated by protected areas through tourism have dropped by up to 90 percent.
Revenues generated from hunting have also been severely affected due to travel restrictions.
The development of this Plan coincided with the pandemic and, therefore, was cognisant of the emerging challenges facing wildlife managers.
The structure of the Botswana Elephant Plan is based on a Logical Framework format, and the vision and targets are derived from a series of workshops held in 2018 and 2019 to develop this strategy.
The objectives include six key components that include: protection and law enforcement; human- elephant conflict management; management of habitats and connectivity; social and economic framework; conservation capacity and coordination and collaboration.
Botswanas Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Philda Kereng stated that MIKE has proved to be a functional monitoring tool for the southern african nation.
She said it has been implemented within the context of broader spatial planning initiatives, including the Elephant management and Action plan 2021- 2026, adding that CITES MIKE is a crucial part of Botswanas Elephant management plan.
Botswana has also developed an Ivory Stockpile Management system to ensure that its stockpile is well managed. The development for this Elephant Management Plan began in June 2018 with four national consultations resulting in the draft plan launched in December 2019, and the final plan launched in March 2021.
The Elephant Plan indicates that Botswana is resourced for the conservation and management of wildlife resources including elephants that have decreased as funds have been diverted to other competing resources.
Revenues generated by protected areas through tourism have dropped by up to 90 percent.
Revenues generated from hunting have also been severely affected due to travel restrictions.
The development of this Plan coincided with the pandemic and, therefore, was cognisant of the emerging challenges facing wildlife managers.
The structure of the Botswana Elephant Plan is based on a Logical Framework format, and the vision and targets are derived from a series of workshops held in 2018 and 2019 to develop this strategy.
The objectives include six key components that include: protection and law enforcement; human- elephant conflict management; management of habitats and connectivity; social and economic framework; conservation capacity and coordination and collaboration.
