Abuja: Nigeria has only about 400 elephants remaining in the wild, with conservationists warning that habitat loss, illegal ivory trade, and human-wildlife conflict are threatening the survival of the species. According to News Agency of Nigeria, the conservationists disclosed this at a media engagement organized by Wild Africa and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) ahead of World Elephant Day, celebrated annually on August 12.
Dr. Mark Ofua, a wildlife veterinarian and conservationist, highlighted that the remaining population consists of approximately 300 forest elephants and 100 savannah elephants. Ofua described this as a critical mass, warning that continued habitat fragmentation and hunting could result in inbreeding and eventually push the species into extinction. He emphasized the crucial ecological roles elephants play and noted that their extinction would have significant consequences for biodiversity, carbon storage, and other ecosystem services on which human populations depend.
The threats to Nigeria’s elephants include illegal trade in ivory, retaliatory killings from human-elephant conflicts, and accidental injuries from snares set for other wildlife. Ofua emphasized the need for increased public education and stronger communication campaigns to change perceptions about wildlife and discourage practices that threaten endangered species. He called for Nigerian companies to regard conservation as part of their environmental responsibility, suggesting they could adopt rescued elephants and support conservation programs.
Ofua also advocated for greater investment in ecotourism, citing Rwanda’s gorilla trekking program as an example of how wildlife could generate revenue for conservation and local development. He identified changes needed in cultural practices involving elephant tusks and other wildlife products, stressing education for cultural evolution away from the use of animal parts.
Dr. Stella Egbe from NCF highlighted that forest elephants are found in areas such as Omo Forest Reserve and Cross River National Park, while savannah elephants are mainly in Yankari Game Reserve. She noted that elephant populations can move across state and national boundaries, including between Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Cameroon. Egbe mentioned that scientific methods like line transects and camera traps are used for elephant surveys, and habitat fragmentation is a major factor driving human-elephant conflicts.
Egbe stressed that inadequate emergency funding hampers efforts to compensate farmers for crop destruction caused by elephants. She also identified insecurity, including banditry and the proliferation of sophisticated weapons, as significant challenges to conservation activities in areas like Gashaka Gumti. Egbe called for stronger partnerships among government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector to close funding gaps and strengthen conservation efforts.
The conservationists lamented the neglect of wildlife and tourism, with historical focus on crude oil and mineral exploration. They highlighted that protecting green spaces and wildlife could generate year-round economic activities and create jobs in sectors such as hospitality and transportation. Developing ecotourism could diversify Nigeria’s economy while providing sustainable funding for conservation and benefiting communities living around protected areas.
Participants urged journalists and stakeholders to sustain public discussion on wildlife conservation and hold authorities accountable for protecting Nigeria’s remaining elephant populations.