Kajiado County Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has raised an alarm over recent deaths of elephants around the Kenya-Tanzanian border.
Governor Lenku in a statement on March 29, 2024, exposed incidents of elephant trophy hunting particularly on the Tanzanian side of the border.
He pointed out a third elephant had been killed by trophy hunters in northern Tanzania, which is part of the Greater Amboseli National Park Ecosystem.
As the custodian of the National Park which partly lies in his County, the governor labelled the killings as a breach of established conservation agreements.
The carcasses of these elephants were burnt, making identification impossible, but it is believed that they belonged to the cross-border Amboseli population.
Governor Lenku on Elephant Killings
“In the past few months, three of these revered elephants have tragically fallen victim to trophy hunting within Tanzania, signaling a distressing breach of the established conservation agreement.
This alarming development underscores the urgent necessity for heightened vigilance and decisive action to uphold conservation efforts in the region,” reads part of the statement.
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His statement comes following a report by Big Life Foundation in collaboration with the Amboseli Elephant Research Project which exposed the killings.
The Amboseli Elephant Research Project has been studying this cross-border population for over 50 years.
It documents the movement of elephants across the border and emphasizes the scientific value of protecting these elephants from hunting.
The report revealed that previous hunts in late 2023 resulted in the killing of two Super Tuskers.
Killings raise alarm
It was a huge blow for the population as the tuskers are special elephants with tusks weighing 100lbs or more and are extremely rare and valuable.
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Governor Lenku stressed the significance of adhering to international frameworks governing the management of transboundary resources while acknowledging the sovereignty of both nations.
He further highlighted the commitment of his County to transborder conservation policies through participation in organizations within the East African region.
Lenku called for swift action from relevant institutions in the region to halt the deaths of elephants.
“However, recent events have raised alarming concerns as this longstanding agreement appears to be faltering. I urge our government and relevant institutions, including the East African Legislative Assembly, to swiftly take action to halt the continued devastation of these iconic African giants,” he added.
These recent killings signal a breach of the long-standing moratorium on elephant hunting near the Kenya-Tanzania border.
According to Big Life Foundation, at least 20% of Amboseli’s elephants cross into Tanzania each year.
