COP 17: ‘A tragedy for elephants’ say conservationists

LOCAL conservationists have expressed shock following comments made by Dr Edna Molewa, the minister of environmental affairs.

Molewa, on Tuesday, praised delegates’ decision to reject the proposal to uplift all African elephants to Appendix I at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora’s (CITES) 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP17).

“This decision is a victory for scientific, evidence based decision-making and also a victory for African science,” said Molewa.

However, Glenashley’s Mariana Fernandes, who is a core strategist for the Global March for Elephants and Rhino’s (GMFER) argued that the decision was not a victory, but a ‘tragedy for elephants’.

“We are extremely disappointed by the news, as we have fought hard for the protection of the elephants. With this outcome trafficking will continue because elephants will not be getting the protection they desperately need,” she said.

The CITES appendices list species that could be at risk – whose import and export is controlled (Appendix II) as well as species that are already threatened with extinction, where wild specimens cannot be commercially traded (Appendix I).

Elephants from South Africa, Namibia and Botswana are currently listed under Appendix II.

It has been estimated that there are about 330 000 elephants left in Africa.

Molewa said the proposal to up-list the elephant populations of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana was rejected, as it could not attract the number of votes necessary for the listing.

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