Kenyan ivory burn

[CTDolan]

I am interested in comments/perspectives from those on the ground, those in the field who have direct experience with regard to the matter (PH's, outfitters, game department staff, well-traveled hunters, etc.).

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36176756

Thank you.

 

[CAustin]

A good question. No experience but would like to hear what those on the ground have to say!

 

[CTDolan]

Same here.

 

[CAustin]

I'm glad they confiscated the ivory from poachers but hate to see it go to waste just piled up and burned.

 

[CTDolan]

It's a delicate situation.

 

[Wheels]

I am interested in comments/perspectives from those on the ground, those in the field who have direct experience with regard to the matter (PH's, outfitters, game department staff, well-traveled hunters, etc.).

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36176756

Thank you.

I doubt I qualify as one with "experience" regarding the matter. That doesn't stop me from having an opinion.

As I recall, Richard Leakey and Kuki Gallman instigated the first ivory burn in Kenya 25 or so years ago. They have done it a few times since then, to world media attention. The first time it happened, it probably did help draw world attention to the problem with poaching.

As @billrquimby has said on a different forum, "Burning also destroys evidence of "ivory inventory shrinkage" in Kenya's warehouses." Which is probably a very astute observation.

Uhuru Kenyatta, is the current president of Kenya. Word on the street in East Africa is that his mother, while First Lady of Kenya, may have been responsible for the largest ivory poaching ring in East Africa. A Tanzania Game Warden wrote a book outlining all of this in the early/mid 70's. The book named the First Lady of Kenya, The Vice President of Tanzania and many others, along with evidence. No publisher would touch the book this soon after independence as it was considered racist/colonialist, unless he used aliases. He refused. Unfortunately, this book went to the grave with him.

Now, consider the last two paragraphs and let your imagination run.

 

[CAustin]

Now I see said the blind man!

 

[CTDolan]

One needs to be careful when leveling an accusation (I'm speaking of the would-be book), but it sure sounds like a potential case of distraction to me (look, over there!).

 

[Wheels]

One needs to be careful when leveling an accusation (I'm speaking of the would-be book), but it sure sounds like a potential case of distraction to me (look, over there!).

Not sure if I am following what you are saying here.

 

[CTDolan]

Hopefully the person who wrote the unpublished book (the game warden) had unquestionable evidence, prior to placing an accusation. If so, the burn may have served as a distraction.

 

[Wheels]

Understand your point now.

The unpublished book was written 15+ years prior to the first Kenya ivory burn if I remember correct. The initial burn wouldn't have been a distraction to the book. (Just looked it up. It was 1989) Also, while I don't agree with Gallman and Leakey, I think their motives were pure. (Regarding the first burn)

A publisher certainly wants proof to protect themselves. I am not sure all the proof the game warden had. Possibly it wasn't enough for the publishers. The publishers told the game warden it was not politically feasible to publish the book, without editing out the prominent names. They didn't tell him to get more proof. It has been a number of years since I heard the details however.

 

[CTDolan]

Thank you for the insight.

 

[siml]

What a waste!!!!!! Burning the ivory is not going to bring back any of the elephant to life. Why not have a well published auction, open to everyone, all buyers placed in a data base. Use the money from the auction to help pay for future anti poaching and protection of the rhino and elephant.

Kenya's wildlife policy has to be the worst in the world. A country that has such great potential......shame on Kenya. I would love to know how much of the money from NGO's and other organisations actually make it to the ground to combat poaching.

 

[spike.t]

first heard it all quite a while ago

http://mavulture.com/political-corr...nation-who-led-plunder-of-beloved-motherland/

https://kenyastockholm.com/2014/04/06/why-uhuru-kenyatta-may-not-succeed-in-fighting-corruption/

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/op...scures-truth-ivory-trade-150304063404677.html

 

[Nyati]

There is a very good book written and published on this subject.

The lost wilderness, by Mohamed Ismail, and Alice Thor Pianfetti. Safari Press.

Mr. Ismail was a Kenya Game Warden

 

[CTDolan]

Thank you.

 

[AfricaHunting.com]

DSC Opposes Kenya Ivory Burning as Rally Cry Against Poachers

DALLAS - In light of this weekend's burning of $105 million of ivory by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, DSC holds steadfast in its long-term opposition to the destruction of ivory as a means to combat poaching. The recent burning of confiscated ivory and rhino horn was the largest in history and was burned in an effort by the Kenyan government to call for the end of illegal wildlife trade.

DSC strongly disagrees with this tactic and contends that the destruction of ivory, as well as bans on hunting, are not an effective approach to end poaching.

DSC Executive Director Ben Carter said, "No one is disagreeing that poaching needs to stop, except the poachers, who by some estimates, profit to the tune of nearly $10 billion annually. But crushing or burning ivory is a fleeting gesture and has little positive effect for wildlife conservation."

After Kenya banned legal hunting in 1977, the poaching of elephants escalated. With the loss of revenue generated from legal hunting and the absence of hunters and guides in the field to police poaching, tens of thousands of elephants fell for the price of their tusks. Kenyan elephant populations tumbled from an estimated 167,000 in 1973 to approximately 27,000 in 2013.

"The bottom line is that when managed hunting goes away, so do the animals," said Carter. "The destruction of ivory will serve no purpose other than to increase the illegal market price. Kenya needs more and better game wardens, new technologies to help track the illegal trade of ivory, science-based management practices and global cooperation."

DSC encourages the decision makers in Kenya and other countries plagued by illegal poaching to read the recently released briefing from the IUCN, which details the economic benefits of hunting tourism, both at the local community level as well as national and international levels. Once informed, policy makers will be armed with knowledge for policy making instead of rhetoric and emotions.


About DSC (Dallas Safari Club)
A member of IUCN, DSC is a mission-focused conservation organization, funded by hunters from around the world. With an administrative staff of less than 15 and a volunteer army of 500, DSC hosts the Greatest Hunters Convention on the Planet™ that raises funds for grants in conservation, outdoor education and hunter advocacy. In the past five years, more than $5 million has been channeled to qualified projects, organizations and programs in support of that mission. Get involved with DSC at www.biggame.org.



Source: Dallas Safari Club (DSC)

 

[CTDolan]

"Uhuru Kenyatta, is the current president of Kenya. Word on the street in East Africa is that his mother, while First Lady of Kenya, may have been responsible for the largest ivory poaching ring in East Africa."

If this is true, then causing hunting to become illegal in Kenya would've been an obvious, political move (due to the fact that when legitimate hunting vacates an area, poachers rush in to fill the vacuum...a vacuum created by an absence of outfitters, along with the revenue generated by their clientele, revenue which funds game departments and their staff).

And, if the annual revenue due to poaching is anywhere near the $10 billion cited, the incentive on the part of those who stand to profit would obviously have been staggering.

 

[Wheels]

"
If this is true, then causing hunting to become illegal in Kenya would've been an obvious, political move (due to the fact that when legitimate hunting vacates an area, poachers rush in to fill the vacuum...a vacuum created by an absence of outfitters, along with the revenue generated by their clientele, revenue which funds game departments and their staff).
.

Exactly what all the old Kenyans thought and said.