PROCEEDINGS OF BANGLADESHI ASIAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CONFERENCE

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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DHA32536.htm

S.Asian experts vow to protect endangered elephants

20 Dec 2005 10:25:51 GMT

 

Source: Reuters

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By Nazimuddin Shaymol

 

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Asian elephant numbers are

falling because of deforestation, road-building and expansion of farmlands

and plans to protect remaining populations are crucial, wildlife experts

meeting in Bangladesh said.

 

The South Asian wildlife experts concluded a two-day meeting in southern

Bangladesh on Tuesday with an agreement for joint collaboration to protect

elephants, whose numbers across Asia are now 60,000, down from 150,000 two

decades ago.

 

The meeting aimed to provide guidance for the conservation of endangered

Asian elephants, Jafar Ahmed Chowdhury, secretary of Bangladesh Ministry of

Forest and Environment, told reporters.

 

" The experts have agreed to evolve ways and means to protect and preserve

elephants in their respective forests, " he said.

 

Asian elephants, which are smaller than those in Africa, are found in

Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Combodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,

Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

But numbers are declining because Asia's growing economies and human

populations are fuelling more demand for land and other resources,

destroying the elephants' habitat and placing them at greater risk of direct

confrontation with people.

 

For example, in Bangladesh up to 15 people and eight elephants are killed in

human-elephant conflicts every year on average, forest officials say.

 

" The plight of elephants in Asia is bad, but it is worst in South Asia due

to the huge population, " said Tapan Kumar, a Bangladeshi wildlife

conservationist who attended the two-day meeting.

 

" We should allow the endangered animals to live in their habitat

undisturbed. "

 

About 75 experts from five South Asian countries participated in the

conference jointly sponsored by the Washington-based Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

and Nairobi-based organisation for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of

Elephants.

 

The meeting adopted policies and programmes for the conservation of

endangered elephants, mainly in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri

Lanka, Chowdhury said.

 

Migrating elephants were of particular concern.

 

About 100 elephants which migrated to Bangladesh's northern Sherpur forests

from India's northeastern state of Meghalaya several years ago, failed to

return because of development of infrastructure, such as roads by Indian

border forces.

 

" These elephants are causing damage to crops, properties and human life in

the region, " a senior forest conservationist said.

 

The experts said a cross-border survey needed to be done to find ways of

stopping migration of elephants and reduce human-elephant conflicts.

Elephant herds naturally travel across wide areas to find food and water but

some are forced to travel much large distances because their habitat have

been destroyed.

 

Bangladesh has nearly 400 elephants, including 100 migratory pachyderms, and

a similar number of captive elephants, forest officials said.