This archive report was first published on 5 May 2021.
On May 5, 2021, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala, called on wildlife and conservation sector stakeholders to work together with the government to enhance public-private partnerships in curbing human-wildlife conflicts.
During a webinar that screened the documentary film 'Living on the Edge' by Black Bean Productions, Balala noted that 'mitigation measures are short term. The dialogue needs to dive deeper in terms of financing, mapping, and taking stern but crucial decisions for the conservation of our wildlife. Let the global community fully support the Elephants conservation efforts in word and in kind.'
According to Balala, the availability of ivory markets in the European Union and Japan poses the greatest threat to the conservation of elephants. He cited the 2020 statistics, where 0 rhinos and 9 elephants were poached in Kenya, as a great step in conserving wildlife. However, he emphasized that human-wildlife conflict is a more significant threat, and immediate action is needed to address the issue.
Other speakers at the webinar included Lee White, Minister of forests, Oceans, Environment and Climate Change, Gabon; Greta Lori, Director of Programme Development, Elephant Protection Initiative's Foundation (EPIF); and Grant Burden, Special Adviser on human-elephant conflict, EPIF. They highlighted the impact of climate change on elephant populations, the need to involve local communities in long-term solutions, and the importance of defining new ways to peacefully coexist with wildlife.
