Protecting Elephants and Rhinos in Mali

The statistics speak for themselves and strike fear into the heart of any animal lover; between 2010 and 2012, an estimated 100,000 elephants were killed for their tusks; a result of the burgeoning demand for ivory in the Far East.

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In addition to this, the numbers of Rhinoceros, one of the ‘big five’ animals, are now down to only a fraction of what they were at the start of the twentieth century, with some subspecies now extinct or on the verge of extinction. We’ve all seen and been horrified by the pictures of these majestic creatures, the life drained from them and their tusks brutally removed, killed for the very thing that makes them so unique, yet at the same time, so at risk.

But now the war on poachers has entered another dimension, becoming scarily intertwined with the growth in global terrorism and the rise of militia groups and jihadists. This horrific development means that these beautiful creatures have once again fallen victim to the greed and demand of humans; and the international situation as it stands today.

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Thankfully, there are people who are still making a difference; who believe, despite the changing circumstances and dwindling numbers, that it is not too late to save these species teetering on the brink of existence. Matt Croucher, a former Marine based in the UAE, has recently returned from the West African country of Mali, where he spent three weeks working with and further educating local tribes with his own charity, Action Against Poaching. An animal lover who is particularly against trophy hunting and killing animals for greed, Matt is now using his previous military experience, not only to protect the elephant and rhino population, but also to help those whose job it is to conserve and defend these creatures – a job that is a daily battle against insurgent groups. It’s an incredible story, which although in its infancy, gives the wild elephant and rhino population hope for the future.

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Mali
Since gaining independence from France in 1960, Mali has experienced times of crisis and political upheaval over the last fifty years, but nothing as serious as the situation it has faced since 2012. A coup in March of that year fractured the country, then a rebellion in the north effectively left this landlocked nation in a state of civil war, with most of the major cities falling into the hands of rebels. Suspended from the African Union, the UN became involved and French troops eventually recaptured the cities that had fallen under militia control. However, jihadist groups such as Al Qaeda still operate throughout the country, particularly in the North, which is where Action Against Poaching is focusing their efforts. With the capital, Bamako (located in the south of the country), largely under government control, the North is generally lawless. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to several provinces, and warns against all but essential travel to the rest of the country.

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Mali is roughly the size of South Africa, and is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire to the south, Guineato the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west.

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The link between poaching and terror
Whereas poachers in other nations are largely thieves and gangs, the situation in Mali is slightly different. Jihadists and terror groups operating in
the area are funding their insurgencies by killing already endangered animals, such as the Saharan Elephant and Rhino, and selling their precious ivory, generally to the burgeoning Chinese market, where the popularity of figurines and keepsakes makes for a multi-billion-dollar demand. Although the price varies and fluctuates(as with any ‘commodity’), the wholesale value of raw ivory is approximately $2100 per kilo, whilst the going rate of a rhino horn is in the region of $60,000 to $100,000. It’s sad enough when you think about the effect that this has on the local environment, on the declining population of these beautiful creatures, and the delicate ecosystem that local tribes rely on in order to survive themselves. Then throw terror into the equation; a subject so powerful and emotive, a fear that we can all relate to. Something had to be done.

Matt and his charity
Matt Croucher GC is a former Marine who also happens to be an animal lover. With an extensive military background spanning the past 16 years, in 2008 he began to consider the possibility of working with charities in areas of conflict. Eventually, in mid-2015, Action Against Poaching was born. A ‘non-for-profit organisation offering direct and proactive support to anti-poaching initiatives in Africa’, Matt’s first mission with Action Against Poaching took him to Maliin collaboration with the Chengeta Wildlife Foundation. Although the government of Mali is doing what it can to protect the species that are being poached, for example by employing rangers in the National Parks totrack, locate and apprehend poachers, Action Against Poaching’s aim was to work with these rangers to help them further. Also accompanying Matt was ‘Boots on the Ground’, a documentary team who aim to tell the story of the plight of Africa’s wildlife.

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Action Against Poaching
Action Against Poaching’s mission is to “effectively assist our partners and develop our own initiatives in the combatting of illegal poaching, the Ivory and horn trade.” Their main focus is the proactive assistance of the protection of endangered species such as the Rhinoceros and Elephants. There are three main programmes that are intended to help:

Ranger Programme
Delivering training to Anti-Poaching law enforcement teams in poaching hotspots.

Intelligence Programme
Using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Human Intelligence to help plan a strategy that will assist Rangers and Law Enforcement to undertake their duties more effectively.

Education
Educating individuals in Mali on the law and consequences of becoming involved, as well as the moral values associated with the poaching trade. Action Against Poaching also aims to educate nations in the Far-East as to the nil-medicinal purposes of Rhino horns/ivory, and also to continue and increase education and awareness projects in more developed societies.


 

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The mission
Action Against Poaching’s initial mission in June was to educate the local population. Staying in UN bases and travelling in convoys accompanied by the army, Matt and his team headed north, some 900km away from the capital, into a militia area just 100km south of the legendary Timbuktu. As elephants migrate from North to South, this was the perfect area in which to begin.

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However, the trip was not without its risks. Just two weeks prior to Matt’s visit, seven soldiers and two rangers were sadly killed in the same area. Collaboration with the local tribes was to be the key. Matt found that the locals were generally accommodating, and was able to build positive relationships with the community. Tribe members passed on information about potential jihadists and likely poachers in the area, whilst Matt and his team taught locals about explosives, gave them weapons training and taught them how to detect landmines. By empowering and educating the community, the jihadists have a much harder battle on their hands. With over 900 active informants who infiltrate and report back things such as poaching activity, the various ‘middlemen’ and the routes of illegal ivory/horn trades,it is clear that tribes are behind the project. After all, their livelihood depends upon the unique ecosystem in their villages, in which elephants and rhinos play a vital role.

Sadly, there’s a much more sinister reason why the local population need Matt’s expertise and training. The jihadists are keen not only to make money from the killing of elephants and rhinos and the illegal selling of ivory, but also seek to halt the efforts of those who protect these incredible animals. By planting landmines in the area, many elephants and rhinos are tragically killed in the most unimaginable of ways. As if this wasn’t bad enough, the militia groups also plant landmines near the mutilated corpses of these animals, with disastrous consequences for those rangers who then come to investigate these heinous acts.

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By providing bomb training and teaching locals how to detect and counteract such situations, Matt and his charity are not only aiming to protect the lives of wildlife, but also the lives of those locals who seek to defend and safeguard them, too. Furthermore, teaching locals how to secure physical and forensic evidence helps to prosecute those who are caught.

Returning to Mali
Action Against Poaching plans to return to Mali in the near future, to help further with a more active patrol. With only200-300 Saharan Elephants remaining in the wild, time is running out before these stunning animals, and the rhinos who form such a recognisable image of African wildlife, are lost forever; yet more victims of the human need for power and wealth – greed at its most distressing.


How to make a difference
For more information about Action Against Poaching, and to make a donation, visit www.actionagainstpoaching.org
You can also visit www.chengetawildlife.org and www.bootsonthegrounds.com for more about the poaching situation in Africa.

Words by: Rachael Bruford

Photos by: Angie Raab – Boots on the Ground