A huge step forward for Liberia's threatened elephants
An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org

FROM

FOA Friends of Animals
July 2017

The Liberian president’s signature will ensure the ideas and objectives towards elephant conservation are not just theoretical but actually implemented through the action plan.

We have a huge cheer for the president of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who has taken a massive step forwards for Liberian forest elephants by giving her formal signature for the immediate implementation of a National Elephant Action Plan, which will gain much-needed support for elephant conservation.

Devised by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and partners and funded by Stop Ivory, the action plan aims to help tackle the growing threats to the country’s forest elephants. West Africa has lost more than 90 percent of its suitable elephant habitat over the last 35 years, as a result of logging, mining and agriculture. This loss of habitat is highly detrimental for elephants as they require vast areas to roam, so their survival depends on safeguarding sites and the corridors connecting them.

Forest elephants are only found in eight African countries, and among these countries, Liberia has the largest forest cover, so Liberia's population is extremely important. “This action plan is an essential step in coordinating efforts at a national level,” said Michelle Klailova, FFI’s Liberia programme manager. “It will allow us to obtain a better understanding of the issues surrounding the distribution and conservation of Liberia’s elephants, identify the key threats and establish a programme of measures to ensure the survival of the species in Liberia.

“The Liberian president’s signature will ensure the ideas and objectives towards elephant conservation are not just theoretical but actually implemented through the action plan,” she added.

At Friends of Animals, we know that Africa’s big five species are already facing extinction because of habitat loss and poaching, and that’s why we working hard to pass legislation that would ban trophy hunting of these animals in states like Connecticut and New York. The United States should not be supplying customers to the horrific trophy hunting industry and when these animals are already fighting for their lives.

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