China meat market threatens elephants

Rising demand for ivory is not the only factor putting the lives of Myanmar elephants at risk. Natural Resource and Environmental Conservation Ministry officials said there is a growing market in China for elephant meat.

According to the ministry, the number of wild elephants killed has increased alarmingly year after year for the past decade.

“Including natural deaths, one elephant dies per week, and thus in next 20 or 30 years, the number of elephants will be much fewer,” said the ministry’s deputy director general U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin.

The killing happens mostly in Yangon, Bago and Ayeyarwady regions, he said during a news conference in Nay Pyi Taw on Thursday on the government’s performance during its second year.

“The reason behind the increased killing is the market in China. There is no other demand for elephant meat,” he said.

To prevent the murder of the giant animals, the government is establishing elephant sanctuaries.

The government and conservationists are also improving the environment where elephants live in order to increase their life expectancy, and cooperation with international organisations is being intensified to increase the numbers of wild elephants, the official said.

Closer cooperation between the General Administration Department, police forces and citizens have led to a rise in the number of arrests of suspected poachers, said U Kyaw Kyaw Lwin.

In 2017, 56 elephant poachers were charged. In April and May, the first two months of the fiscal year, 10 poachers were charged.

To enhance measures to protect elephants, the government in cooperation with international conservation groups offered K3 million (US$2220) to anyone who provides tip about poachers.

In March, a person from Ayeyarwady was the first to receive the K3 million reward for informing police about elephant poachers.

The Forest Department and Wildlife Conservation Society’s Myanmar Programme have also drafted a 10-year action plan for conserving elephants.


Please credit and share this article with others using this link:
https://www.mmtimes.com/news/china-meat-market-threatens-elephants.html