The recent killing of a Super Tusker elephant has sparked widespread outrage due to the precarious status of this endangered species, reigniting discussions concerning the Tanzanian government’s conservation policies.
A Super Tusker is a majestic elephant with exceptionally large tusks that almost touch the ground. This marks the third such specimen to be slain in less than six months. Last Friday, one of these magnificent creatures was gunned down—similar to previous incidents in September and November—in Enduimet, a hunting reserve in Tanzania bordering the Amboseli National Park in Kenya, situated in the Kilimanjaro region.
In Tanzania, hunting reserves are often situated adjacent to protected areas, a practice ostensibly linked to conservation efforts, but one that poses a grave threat to Super Tusker elephants, asserts Joseph Oleshangay, a legal expert.
“Super Tuskers do not recognize the boundaries of a national park or their country. They do not acknowledge these artificial borders to determine whether they are in Kenya or have migrated to Tanzania. Once they cross over, they are unprotected because the Tanzanian government grants trophy hunters a license to kill.
Authorities claim trophy hunters contribute to conservation efforts by providing funds to protect these animals, but it’s false; they kill them.”
Officials argue that trophy hunters aid conservation efforts by financing programs to protect wildlife. However, entrusting protection to individuals intent on killing these animals raises serious ethical concerns. These hunters are contributing to the decimation of the Super Tusker population.
The death of the third Super Tusker elephant has reignited calls for the construction of secure corridors between protected and unprotected areas.
Hunted for their ivory, these elephants number less than 40 in total across the continent.