Tanzania vows tough measures to tackle killings of elephants

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Tanzania is to get tough measures with the groups and individuals responsible for the mass poaching of elephants, a senior official warned on Sunday.

Poachers and other people engaged in illegal wildlife trade should be punished severely to deter would-be offenders, said Gaudence Milanzi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism of Tanzania, who called for stern action against poachers and other people engaged in illegal wildlife trade in the east African nation.

"We're concerned that wildlife crimes such as poaching and illegal trade in ivory would pose serious threats to the biodiversity, nature tourism, and foreign investment," Milanzi said in an interview.

An elephant's remains /Al Jazeera Photo

Milanzi called upon villagers and local government to team up in the fight against elephant poaching, which is threatening the future of tourism. As one of leading sectors in Tanzania, tourism contributes two billion US dollars to GDP.

Tanzania has set aside September 22 as a special national day for elephants, said Milanzi. It was “borrowed” from the World Elephant Day, which is marked annually on August 12.

The idea emanates from the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Tusks from poached elephants in south-western Tanzania /The Telegraph Photo

The marking of the National Elephant Day is aimed at bringing about awareness globally and Tanzania citizens about the plight of elephants, which is threatened by illegal wildlife trade and poaching and increasing human-elephant conflicts as well as habitat and range loss and fragmentation.

This year's National Elephant Day was held in southern Tanzania's District of Namtumbo, which is close to Selous Game Reserve and Niassa National Reserve.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency