NAMIBIA’S LIVE TRADE IN AFRICAN ELEPHANTS CAPTURED FROM THE WILD

SPECIAL REPORT

CURATING AFRICAN ELEPHANTS FOR EXHIBITION IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Image Credit: Gerrie Odendaal / Conservation Namibia

“Captive elephants lack the very foundation of elephant life.” Dr Keith Lindsay

Based on the body of overwhelming scientific evidence, South Africa took the commendable decision in 2008 to ban the capture of elephants from the wild for the purposes of captivity and trade under the terms of the National Norms and Standards for the Management of Elephants in South Africa (2008). The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission African Elephant Specialist Group opposes the removal of African elephants from the wild for any captive use. This position was reaffirmed at the group’s meeting in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2019.

On 6 September 2019, elephant specialists from around Africa and the world participated in an Indaba in South Africa, ‘Taking Elephants out of the Room’, to scrutinize the science, policy and welfare issues related to elephants in captivity. The overwhelming conclusion of the Captive Elephant Indaba was that no elephants should be placed in captivity and elephants currently in captivity should be rewilded.

Trading in Elephants is unconscionable and fails to recognise the sheer intelligence, sentience and complex social structures of Elephants.

Elephants are among the most social animals on the planet and keeping them in captivity and zoos is contrary to their nature and welfare. In captivity these Namibian elephants will have no agency. They have been removed from their context and will be forced to live unnatural, isolated, sad and denigrated lives.

Image Credit: G. H. Odendaal published in: https://africageographic.com/stories/namibias-elephant-auction-evaluating-the-results/

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