North African elephants poached

A team from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) was shocked to discover the bodies of 100 elephants, apparently killed for their ivory, in the north African country of Chad.

The elephant bodies were found at five separate sites, and half the animals appeared to have been killed just days before the WCS survey was carried out in the first week of August. Most of the carcasses had their tusks removed. They were found near the Zakouma National Park, where elephant numbers have dropped from 3,885 in 2005 to 3,020 this year.

Zakouma is one of the furthest north parks in Africa where elephants roam free. The SABC news reports that wildlife groups believe the increase in illegal ivory sales across the world is being driven by a new demand from China.

Chad’s elephants are amongst those at increased risk of poaching in Africa as a result of political unrest in nearby Darfur region of Sudan.