Chinese reignite ivory poaching in East Africa ()

Synopsis:
Sam Farmar reports on the unprecedented wave of elephant poaching taking place across Africa - spurred on by a doubling of the international ivory price and the worst drought in East Africa for more than a decade. Many now feel they have little option but to poach to survive.

After years in decline poaching is back and conversationalists are blaming the Chinese. China trade with Africa now stands at 100 billion US dollar annually a figure that is expected to increase by 80% in the coming year – with this level of investment African governments are reluctant to upset their fastest growing trading partner and clamp down on the illegal ivory trade to China.

The number of elephants killed in East Africa has doubled in the last year and experts predict the extinction of elephants outside of protected parks as early as 2020. Currently the elephant death rate from poaching throughout Africa is higher than the annual death rate that led to the international ivory trade ban 20 years ago.

Conservationists blame a decision to relax the law and allow the legal sales of stockpiled ivory, which they claim has reignited interest in ivory across the Far East.

Director: Sam Farmar

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