information on African elephant population?

[matt85]

we were having a bit of a debate today at work about Africa's population of elephants. it seems most people believe the species is down to just a few animals and will be gone any year now. I did a search but google fails big time with nothing but bunny hugger website that all preach "doom" and "extinction". these bunny hugger websites don't even bother mentioning numbers, just crack pot guesses as to when the animal will be gone.

can any one point me to an actual scientific study with a estimate on the population of elephants in Africa?

thank you
-matt

 

[Bos en Dal SAFARIS]

Hi matt

Thanks too google i saw a figure of 450000 - 700000
here is the link,
http://www.defenders.org/elephant/basic-facts
Maybe someone have better knowladge or figures

 

[ActionBob]

I've been told 17,000 just in Kruger park. And it has carrying capacity of 10,000... If they went in and culled 1000 elephants it would not make a difference because the population increases by at least that much each year! And of course that growth is exponential! I was also told they do harvest about 50 per year for camp meat and training guides who are armed to give walking tours. To make a dent in that burdensome population, they would need to cull 7000 in a year!

a clip from Google; <Culling, along with relocation and contraception, are alternatives spelled out in the new management strategy the National Parks Board approved in March to protect the ecosystem of the famed park.>

I do know for a fact that discussions are going on to open new elephant hunting opportunities on properties bordering Kruger. I'm sure at least some of the powers that be in Kruger know they need to cull, but politically it is difficult at best.

Basically in the primary places there are elephants in Africa, there are too many for the ecosystem to carry.

Who wants to put a condom on this guy? Seems like another Darwin award in the making! At full attention they will plow a trench through the sand ....

 

[BRICKBURN]

Here is the Elephant Group page.

http://www.iucn.org/about/work/prog...thorities_directory/mammals/african_elephant/

2007 Report on the African Elephant.
https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/SSC-OP-033.pdf

 

[matt85]

unfortunately the people i work with are so convinced by the bunny huggers that they believe "elephants breed too slowly to overpopulate places like Kruger park". i cant convince them that any place could possibly have too many elephants because "they are almost extinct" so they must be "rare" in all places.

debating with them has given me a headache so im given up. there is no sense, only stupidity and zealous belief in animal "rights" groups.

-matt

 

[BRICKBURN]

Ask them how many bears in their homes is too many?

 

[siml]

Botswana alone has over 60 000 elephant. KNP wanted to do a big cull, but from what I have heard, if they begin culling all the bunny hugger groups will pull all funding they give to the KNP.

 

[siml]

Botswana alone has over 60 000 elephant. KNP wanted to do a big cull, but from what I have heard, if they begin culling all the bunny hugger groups will pull all funding they give to the KNP.

 

[ActionBob]

There was an excellent article in Outfitter magazine about the overpopulation of elephants in Botswana and how they eat everything within 25 miles of water, which causes every other water dependent species to die out in that region. What gives an elephant more rights than a zebra, etc.?

And when the plants are all eaten and tromped down, there is nothing to hold the soil when it does rain, or when the wind blows. So then you lose the top soil. That can take eons to build back up, like maybe 10, 000 years?

The huge point the article was making was that without soil, you have no plants, no prey species, no carnivores, certainly no elephants! And current over populations of elephants are causing this.

No maybe that is the extreme, but it sure seems to be happening in areas!

And others with more local knowledge should report, but I've read that in some populations, elephant's are starving and dying of thirst. Especially the young.

Matt, before you give up, at least show them that video, The Elephant and the Pauper.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Kwalata wilderness not listed... We have around 23...

 

[Bsums]

I pulled out the key part of the SSC 2007 report plus its contributors. Keep in mind this is from 8 years ago.

Even from tree hugger websites its estimated to be around 450,000 - 700,000 now.

 

[bassasdaindia]

Botswana alone has over 60 000 elephant. KNP wanted to do a big cull, but from what I have heard, if they begin culling all the bunny hugger groups will pull all funding they give to the KNP.

I think Botswana has a lot more than 60 000 and as far as I have been informed is in desperate need to reduce those numbers .

 

[Pondoro]

You are right...elephant population is close to 200.000 wich is far too many. They are spreading due south into Kalahari....and destroy areas, accelerate destruction of the top soil as actioBob mentioned etc.

I shot 2 problem elephant at a game farm last month. They brake in through fences at both cattle -and gamefarms every night, causing owners constantly mending fences.

Farmers used to be positive about elephant but not anymore..

Ian Khamas anti-hunting policy is pure madness. If this is not altered Botswana will face ecological collapse.

 

[bluey]

wasn't bostwanas elephant population well over 100,000 , 9 or 10 years ago?
remember a show about then , how they were destroying their own habitat , much faster than old mother nature could restore the balance ..........

 

[Patrick R]

Botswana alone has over 60 000 elephant. KNP wanted to do a big cull, but from what I have heard, if they begin culling all the bunny hugger groups will pull all funding they give to the KNP.

Yes much more - between Botswana / Zibabwe / Zabia - ±250 000

On the KNP yes, excatly what you say is happening...The 17 000 Elephants was a few years back, it is nearer to 25 000 Elephants in the KNP now!

 

[matt85]

if all this is true then they need to allow me to do my part and hunt a few of those jumbos! id be MORE then happy to help with some culling or even just take out a problem animal or two.

something i learned on my first hunt in RSA was that while trophies are nice, just the experience is rewarding enough.

-matt

 

[spike.t]

@matt85 or anyone else get this book from Ron Thomson and read it and get these people to read it if you can.

http://www.ronthomsonshuntingbooks.co.za/wildlifeheritage.html

 

[CAustin]

Well Pieter and I will be hunting the KNP area late August. When I asked about advance scouting was told no need. This is because there are too many elephants for the area.

 

[siml]

Sorry, I just read my post, I was meaning excess of 60,000 elephant , not in total in Botswana.

 

[KMG Hunting Safaris]

Matt, there was an excellent article written by Ron Thomson in one of the past issues of this year, in African Outfitter magazine. I have that issue in camp and I can either forward you copies of that article once I get back from my next hunt, or you are welcome to call them up and request a copy. (Or you can just take that copy when you are in camp in September). I can get the issue number for you, should you require.
Excellent write up that puts everything in perspective just how overpopulated some areas are.