Poachers killed an estimated 100,000 elephants across Africa between 2010 and 2012, a huge spike in the continent's death rate of the world's largest mammals because of an increased demand for ivory in China and other Asian nations, a new study published Monday found, according to The Associated Press.
Warnings about massive elephant slaughters have been ringing for years, but Monday's study is the first to scientifically quantify the number of deaths across the continent by measuring deaths in one closely monitored park in Kenya and using other published data to extrapolate fatality tolls across the continent, the AP reported.
The study found that the proportion of illegally killed elephants has climbed from 25 percent of all elephant deaths a decade ago to roughly 65 percent of all elephant deaths today, a percentage that, if continued, will lead to the extinction of the species, according to the AP.
The peer-review study was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the AP reported. It was co-authored by experts from Save the Elephants, the Kenya Wildlife Service, an international group called MIKE responsible for monitoring the illegal killings of elephants, and two international universities.
"The current demand for ivory is unsustainable. That is our overarching conclusion. It must come down. Otherwise the elephants will continue to decrease," said Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants, according to the AP.
Elephant deaths are not happening at the same rate across Africa, with the highest death rate is in central Africa, with East Africa Tanzania and Kenya not far behind, the AP reported. The elephant population in Tanzania's Selous Game Reserve dropped from 40,000 to 13,000 over the last three years.
Botswana is a bright spot, with a population that is holding steady or growing, according to the AP. South Africa's rhinos are being killed, but poachers have not yet begun attacking elephants.
The embassy in Kenya this month donated anti-poaching equipment to four wildlife conservancies, the AP reported.
Chinese Ambassador Liu Xianfa said at the handover ceremony that China is increasing publicity and education of its people to increase understanding of the illegal ivory trade, according to the AP.
"Wildlife crimes are a cross-border menace," Liu said, according to a transcript of the ceremony published by Kenya's Capital FM, the AP reported. "I assure you that more action will follow as will support to fulfil our promise. We firmly believe that, through joint efforts, the drive of combating wildlife crimes will achieve success."
