Nigeria’s remaining 400 elephants face fight for survival — Conservationists

Nigeria's wild elephant population has dwindled to approximately 400 individuals, prompting conservationists to issue urgent warnings about the species' survival. Habitat loss, the illegal ivory trade, and escalating human-wildlife conflict are identified as the primary threats endangering the remaining forest and savannah elephants.

Dr. Mark Ofua, a wildlife veterinarian and West African representative for Wild Africa, stated that the current population, comprising about 300 forest elephants and 100 savannah elephants, is a "critical mass." He cautioned that ongoing habitat fragmentation and hunting could lead to inbreeding, ultimately pushing the species toward extinction. Elephants play a vital role as "tenders of the forest" and "umbrella species," maintaining forest health, biodiversity, and ecological balance.

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Elephants are tenders of the forest.

The disappearance of elephants would signal a collapsing forest ecosystem, with significant consequences for biodiversity, carbon storage, and other essential ecosystem services that benefit human populations. Threats include the illegal black-market ivory trade, retaliatory killings stemming from human-elephant conflicts, and accidental injuries from snares set for other wildlife.

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He described elephants as an “umbrella species”, saying their disappearance would signal that the forest ecosystem was unhealthy and collapsing.

Conservationists also highlight inadequate public awareness as a major hurdle, estimating that 80% of Nigerians are unaware that elephants still exist in the country. They are calling for increased public education and robust communication campaigns to shift perceptions and discourage practices harmful to endangered species. Nigerian companies are urged to integrate conservation into their environmental responsibilities, potentially by adopting rescued elephants or supporting conservation programs.

Furthermore, greater investment in ecotourism is proposed as a means to generate revenue and create jobs, citing Rwanda's successful gorilla trekking program as a model. Conservationists emphasize that elephant endangerment is not primarily driven by the bushmeat trade but by the illegal black-market ivory trade.

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About 80 per cent of Nigerians were unaware that elephants still existed in the country.