Elephants almost extinct in Nigeria, conservationist laments

Andrew Dunn, Country Director of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Nigeria, says elephants are almost becoming extinct in Nigeria.

Mr Dunn made the disclosure in an interview with journalists in Calabar while commemorating the World Elephant Day.

The World Elephant Day is an international annual event marked on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world’s elephant population.

He said that the number of elephants in the country had continued to dwindle at a frightening pace following negative human activities.

He further appealed that all hands should be on deck to prevent the total extinction of elephants, adding that it was worrisome that Nigeria was a leading source of elephant tusks sale worldwide up till last year.

“The international ivory trade which is a major cause of the extinction of elephants is still booming in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos.

“Poachers are daily going after the tusks of the elephants to enrich the sale of ivory in foreign markets.

“There are less than 500 elephants remaining in Nigeria, so we should not allow our elephants to go extinct.

“We need many more people to supports elephant conservation by regularly visiting the Cross River National Park, Yankari Games Reserve and other parks in the country where some of these animals are,” he said. (NAN)