Kenya Authorities Recover Major Haul of Poached Ivory
7/30/99
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Title: Kenya Authorities Recover Major Haul of Poached Ivory
Source: The Associated Press
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: July 30, 1999
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Authorities have impounded 350 kilograms (770
pounds) of poached elephant ivory, the largest seizure in a decade in
Kenya, indicating an in the illegal trade, the Kenya Wildlife Service
said Friday.
The agency, which is responsible for the protection of wildlife, said
the fresh ivory had been buried in a field with corn planted on top
in an attempt to conceal it. The site is near Maralal, about 300
kilometers (185 miles) north of the capital, Nairobi.
Two people were arrested in connection with the haul, the wildlife
service said.
The statement said the ivory comes from at least 23 elephants, among
them 10 bulls. The smaller tusks indicated females and young bulls
were killed.
The Kenyan wildlife agency said in a statement that there are no
large bulls in the region, and the presence of the big tusks suggests
the poaching occurred in other parks, possibly Tsavo National Park
southeast of Nairobi.
Acting agency director Nehemiah Rotich said there had tbeen a lull
for many years in the ivory trade in the Maralal area. He said the
find indicated that poachers were probably stockpiling the ivory
there in anticipation of an increase in the price.
The price of illegal ivory in Kenya is between $15-$25 for a kilogram
(2.2 pounds).
Kenya banned hunting in 1977 after an unprecedented illegal slaughter
of elephants.
In February, the Geneva-based U.N. Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species approved an easing of the ban to allow Namibia,
Zimbabwe and de Botswana to sell to Japan 59 tons of elephant ivory
stockpiled after an international ban on the ivory trade.
The three countries said they were selling their ivory stocks to
raise money for elephant conservation programs. The sale took place
in April.
Kenya and six other African countries opposed the sale, saying it
would lead to an upsurge in poaching.