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One of Africa's largest wildlife reserves, Niassa in northern Mozambique, are marking over a year since any elephants were last killed by poachers. A year ago it was estimated that aggressive poaching had caused the elephant population to drop from 12,000 to only 2,000 in the last few years, but the effort over the last 12 months has reportedly caused the numbers to rise to a healthier 4,000. Policies introduced by the Mozambique government focused on the preservation of the gentle giants, including the introduction of a dedicated police force, more assertive patrolling and response by air, and have so far proven to be successful. Niassa recorded that the last time an elephant was killed by poachers in the reserve was May 17 2018. In an area larger than Switzerland and previously known for rampant poaching, this is an impressive statistic.
Although this is a positive step in the right direction for the elephant's survival, unfortunately there is still much work to be done. Experts say the current rate of annual elephant losses still exceeds the birth rate, and the encroachment of human settlements is reducing the animals' range. Africa's elephant population has plummeted from an estimated several million in 1900, to at least 415,000 in recent years.
Africa Travel's Chris Wain has once again been named one of the world's top travel specialists by Conde Nast Traveler.
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