Conservationists submitted a petition to Tanzania, urging the government to prohibit elephant trophy hunting in an extensive wildlife reserve that borders Kenya.
While Kenya prohibits elephant trophy hunting, Tanzania permits it, leading to instances of hunters killing elephants that crossed from Kenya. Cynthia Moss, founder of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, emphasized that the loss of these elephants undermines conservation efforts.
The Amboseli National Park in Kenya and the Enduimet Wildlife Management Area in Tanzania are home to about 2,000 elephants, including the prized "super-tuskers" known for their large tusks.
The petition, supported by over 50 African wildlife conservation organizations and 500,000 signatures, warned that super-tuskers could vanish within three years if hunting continues.
Conservationists contend that the Amboseli ecosystem, which boasts the maximum density of these animals, is home to only 10 super-tuskers, each tusk of which weighs approximately 45 kg.
In 1995, Tanzania agreed to halt hunting permits after Kenyan elephants were killed, but resumed issuing permits in 2022.