50 high-profile environmental conservationists led by Dr Paula Kahumbu have penned a letter protesting Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu's decision to issue four new trophy-hunting licenses.
The group wrote a letter on Saturday, March 16, appealing for an immediate ban on trophy-hunting targeting elephants with tusks arguing that the practice endangers the wild animals.
They argued that it was prudent for the Tanzanian government to work with its Kenyan counterpart since the wild animals lived along the border.
The appeal is aimed at helping formalise regulations to ban the hunting of elephants in Enduimet Wildlife Management Area, Narco Ranch, Longido GCA, Lake Natron East GCA, and Lake Natron North GCA.
The collaboration, on the other hand, targets to find alternative conservation strategies that ensure the Amboseli elephants' protection, preserving them as a shared heritage and a testament to our collective commitment to conservation.
"We, the global community of conservationists, wildlife enthusiasts, and concerned citizens, urgently appeal to your esteemed office for the immediate ban on elephant trophy hunting within the Tanzania range of the Amboseli elephants," read the introduction of the letter in part.
"This unique cross-border population, shared with Kenya, is under dire threat following the issuance of new hunting licenses that disrupt a 30-year-old agreement vital for their protection."
The team further observed that the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP), the world's longest-continuous elephant study, had documented the number of elephants in the region.
"The targeted elephants are males in their reproductive prime and, with tusks symbolizing their grandeur, are critical for maintaining the population's genetic propensity for large tusks, which are a major draw for tourism, a vital sector for both our countries," added the letter.
"The hunting of these individuals undermines conservation efforts, disrupts the social structure of elephant communities, and poses a significant threat to the future of this population."
The letter, published on Avaaz, has so far attracted 6,025 signatures, nearly crossing the 7,500 target.
According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya is home to 36,280 elephants, an improvement of 21 per cent from 2014 when poaching was at its highest. KWS attributes the growth to a sustained crackdown on poaching and illegal ivory trade.
Tanzania, on the other hand, boasts of 60,000 elephants, an improvement from 43,000 in 2014, according to the Africa Wildlife Foundation.
