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Zakouma National Park, located in the south of Chad, is a preserve that had been devastated by poaching in the early 2000s. The population had fallen by thousands and the park had gone four years with almost no births – a sign of herd stress. After three years without poaching, the population has finally begun to stabilize and babies are once again being born. They had not lost an elephant since 2012 but unfortunately, the trend abruptly ended when two elephants were killed.
A Terrible Crime
The discovery was made when a pilot was doing a routine surveillance flight. The pilot spotted a herd of 30 elephants that were in a defensive stance and two men with horses. An anti-poaching patrol was sent to the scene; but alas, the officers were too late. The men were gone and they left behind the bodies of two adult female elephants, one with her tusks taken out. Furthermore, the poaching led to the deaths of two orphaned calves. The patrol took one to the park headquarters and attempted to nurse it back to health, but he had suffered too much shock and died. They were not able to rescue the second calf, and since it is too young to survive by itself, it is presumed dead as well.
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Authorities Are Searching For The Poachers
It is hard to find the culprits due to heavy rain of the wet season and rough terrain of the park. A reward for information has been offered to the surrounding villages.
“Bush meat hunting and trading is not common around Zakouma,” says park manager Rian Labuschagne. “Individuals doing this business usually stand out in the communities, so we hope to still find more clues which can lead to their arrest.”
Rangers found that the poachers used an AK 47 and ammunition of Russian and Chinese origin. The casings came from different batches. The evidence suggests that the criminals bought the weapons from Chadian military personnel. As long as there is a demand for ivory in the international market, elephants are not safe from poaching.
SEE ALSO: A Lion Kills A Safari Guide In The Same Park Where Cecil Died.
