Nigeria destroys 2.5 tons of seized elephant tusks – 01/10/2024 – Environment

This Tuesday (9), Nigeria destroyed 2.5 tons of seized elephant tusks, valued at more than 9.9 billion naira (about R$55 million), in an attempt to protect wildlife traffickers. its elephant population, which has been falling.

Over the past three decades, the country’s elephant population has declined drastically: from around 1,500 to less than 400. According to conservationists, in addition to the illegal search for ivory, habitat loss and conflicts between humans and elephants also contribute to this decline.

Nigerian Environment Minister Iziaq Salako said the government has ground up the tusks and will use the powder to build a symbolic monument in a national park as a reminder of the importance of elephants in the ecosystem.

The spraying of prey in the capital Abuja follows a similar event in October, when authorities destroyed four tonnes of seized pangolin scales, valued at US$1.4 million (R$6.8 million).

Thousands of elephants are killed each year for their tusks, despite a ban on the ivory trade under the 1989 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Despite being a signatory to the agreement, Nigeria is considered a hub for gangs that illegally send parts of African wildlife, including pangolin tusks and scales, to Asia, according to law enforcement officials and experts on the subject.

However, the West African nation has stepped up anti-smuggling efforts in recent years, partnering with British, American and German authorities, as well as international organizations.

Last month, authorities launched an investigation after a video posted on social media showed a soldier shooting two elephants that had invaded farmland, causing outrage among citizens.

In 2022, Nigerian customs authorities seized 1,613 tons of pangolin scales and arrested 14 people.