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SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMOND producer De Beers Group has announced it will transport 200 elephants to a nature reserve in Mozambique.
The operation, one of the country’s largest ever elephant relocations, is part of a conservation effort to help restore Mozambique’s dwindling elephant population.
The company announced the move after the elephant population at the private Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve got too high, risking extensive damage to the ecosystem.
The elephants will be transported about 1,500km from the reserve to Mozambique, which has one of the highest rates of poaching for ivory in the world.
De Beers said it would transport 60 elephants to the Zinave National Park in central Mozambique during July and August, with the remaining 140 elephants to be moved to conservation areas in the country from next year.
In a statement, the company revealed that it would also donate $500,000 (€427,496) to anti-poaching group the Peace Parks Foundation over five years.
De Beers Group CEO, Bruce Cleaver, said there was “no greater symbol of Africa than the majestic elephant”, and that the company was proud to help the animal flourish in Mozambique.
“This translocation is born of a deep sense of responsibility and is part of our wider commitment to continue to invest in new and innovative ways to protect the natural world,” he said.
Werner Myburgh, CEO of the Peace Parks Foundation, also welcomed the move, saying it would help the group’s “dream of restoring the landscape” at Zinave National Park.
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Love elephants.
@CC: Beautiful creatures, great image illustrating this article. I hope the company can do more for them.
Let’s hope it works out . They are a truly magnificent creature .
Ivory suits Elephants best,
Not on your wall, nor on your chest.
Just think of those Elephants,
Shot to the ground,
Having their ivory sawn and bound.
Just think ,and think, and think.
R.B
Humans have a shameful history in co-existence with elephants. No respect for their habitat, right to live there or their freedom. Keeping them in zoos or captivity is wrong. It’s good to see a South African company trying to make amends. Let’s hope more organizations, governments etc follow.
@AMKavanagh: A company trying to rehabilitate their own image in the face of blood diamond issues perhaps
@AMKavanagh: Humans have a shameful history with other Humans, but good point
The elephant in the room is that there are too many humans on the planet.
Man witnesses an elephant robing a jewellery shop on O’ Connell st .
The Garda asked , was it an African or an Indian elephant .
Man – what’s the difference .
Guard – An African elephant has big ears and an Indian elephant has small ears .
Man – I couldn’t tell you , it was wearing a balaclava .
Those elephants will be poached in Mozambique that’s why they are being sent there the 500000 is so Mozambique can take care of a rich South African (Dutch) companies dirty work passing on the real problem, very very naive to think this has anything to do with saving elephants!
@David: It’s time they started using the dye on tusks as they talked about before. There’s a few other measures that can makes the ivory worthless too.
have your say