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Elephants and ivory poaching in the forests of equatorial Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

R. F. W. Barnes ,
M. Agnagna ,
M. P. T. Alers ,
A. Blom ,
G. Doungoube ,
M. Fay ,
T. Masunda ,
J. C. Ndo Nkoumou ,
C. Sikubwabo Kiyengo  and
M. Tchamba
R. F. W. Barnes
Affiliation:
Department of Biology 0116, La Jolla, San Diego, California 92093-0116, USA.
M. Agnagna
Affiliation:
Direction de la Conservation de la Faune, BP 2153, Brazzaville, Congo.
M. P. T. Alers
Affiliation:
BP 4, Tai, Cote d'lvoire.
A. Blom
Affiliation:
Epulu via Mambasa, PO Box 21285, Nairobi, Kenya.
G. Doungoube
Affiliation:
BP 1360, Bangui, Central African Republic
M. Fay
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation International, Bronx Zoo, Bronx, New York 10460, USA.
T. Masunda
Affiliation:
IZCN, BP 868 Kin 1, Kinshasa, Zaire.
J. C. Ndo Nkoumou
Affiliation:
Direction de la Faune et des Pares Nationaux, Secretariat du Tourisme, Yaounde, Cameroon.
C. Sikubwabo Kiyengo
Affiliation:
Epulu via Mambasa, PO Box 21285, Nairobi, Kenya.
M. Tchamba
Affiliation:
BP 336, Maroua, Cameroon.
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Abstract

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Reconnaissance surveys were made of the forests of four central African countries to establish, for the first time, the status of forest-dwelling elephants. The results, when combined with information from previous surveys in other countries, provide a picture of the elephant situation in the forest zone, and especially the impact of poaching. About one-third of the forest elephant population of central Africa is to be found in Zaire, and about one-third in Gabon. The rest are in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, and Congo. It is poaching for ivory, rather than the growth of human populations, which threatens the elephants of the equatorial forests.

Type
Research Article
Information
Oryx , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , January 1993 , pp. 27 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 1993

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