Elephant poaching, the illegal killing of elephants for their tusks, represents a significant threat to global biodiversity. This illicit activity has driven declines in elephant populations across Africa and Asia. Understanding the numerical scale of this problem through statistics is important for grasping its impact on these majestic animals.
Global Poaching Trends
The Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) program, established by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), provides data on global poaching. Poaching levels increased dramatically in the mid-2000s, surging from 2009 and peaking around 2011, indicating intense pressure on elephant populations.
In 2012, MIKE analysis indicated that approximately 15,000 elephants were illegally killed at 42 monitored sites. The estimated poaching rate of 7.4% in 2012 was unsustainably high, exceeding natural elephant population growth rates, which do not surpass 5%. While the overall trend showed some leveling off in 2012 compared to 2011, it remained at an elevated level.
Subsequent years have shown a continuing downward trend in elephant poaching across Africa. The overall 2020 Proportion of Illegally Killed Elephants (PIKE) estimate for Africa was the lowest since 2003, calculated by dividing the number of illegally killed elephants found by the total number of carcasses. Despite these encouraging signs, work remains to protect elephant populations affected by decades of poaching.
Regional Poaching Hotspots
Elephant poaching is not uniformly distributed, with specific regions bearing a disproportionate burden. In Africa, two main hotspots have accounted for a large percentage of poaching since 2007. One of these areas is centered on the border between Tanzania and Mozambique, primarily affecting savannah elephants.
The other hotspot for poaching is in West Africa, encompassing Gabon, the Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic, where forest elephants are targeted. This region includes the Tridom conservation area, considered a stronghold for forest elephants. These areas have experienced substantial losses, with some elephant populations entirely eliminated.
While overall poaching has decreased in some areas, Central and West Africa continue to record high levels. Ethiopia (18.4%), Nigeria (17.6%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (8.8%), and Mozambique (8.8%) were among the most common countries of origin for seized ivory shipments in 2023. This highlights challenges in these specific regions.
Impact on Elephant Populations
Sustained illegal killing has profoundly affected elephant populations, leading to declines. African elephants, once a single species, are now recognized as two distinct species: the African forest elephant and the African savannah elephant. Both experienced steep population drops when poaching surged in 2008. The African forest elephant population has declined by over 86% in a 31-year period, primarily due to poaching.
In 2016, the African Elephant Status Report estimated approximately 415,428 African elephants across the continent, representing a decline of about 110,000 individuals over the preceding decade. As of 2021, their combined estimated population remained around 415,000 elephants. The African savannah elephant is listed as endangered, and the African forest elephant as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Poaching has longer-term consequences beyond immediate mortality. Studies indicate that orphaned juvenile elephants have a lower survival probability than non-orphans, exacerbating population declines. The loss of adult elephants, particularly mothers, indirectly impacts offspring survival, affecting overall population growth and viability.
The Driving Force: Ivory Trade
The illegal ivory trade is the primary economic incentive behind elephant poaching, fueling the killing of elephants for their tusks. A resurgence in demand for ivory, particularly in parts of Asia, intensified this poaching epidemic over the past decade. The black market value of ivory creates a motivation for illegal hunting.
A one-time legal sale of stockpiled ivory in 2008 to China and Japan, intended to reduce illegal trade, inadvertently had the opposite effect. Research indicates this legal sale may have expanded the black market for ivory by increasing consumer demand or reducing the perceived risk of supplying illegal ivory. Following this sale, illegal ivory production expanded by an estimated 66%, and seizures of contraband ivory leaving African countries increased.
While some domestic ivory markets have closed, such as China’s in 2018, the demand has sometimes been displaced to neighboring countries. The continued presence of ivory in the marketplace, whether legal or illegal, can provide cover for illicit trade. Persistent demand for ivory on the black market continues to drive the illegal killing of elephants.