Zimbabwe’s Ivory Stockpile Increases to More Than 50 Tons
By Godfrey Marawanyika – Oct 8, 2012 4:10 PM GMT+1000
Zimbabwe’s ivory stockpile increased to more than 50 tons in September from
42 tons a year earlier, wildlife authorities said.
The country has 100,000 elephants against a capacity of 45,000, mostly at
Hwange National Park in the southwest, Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife
Authority spokeswoman Caroline Washaya-Moyo said. Water shortages led to the
deaths of 17 elephants last month, she said.
Zimbabwe can’t cull the elephants or sell the ivory without permission from
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, Washaya-Moyo
said. It doesn’t have such a permit for selling the current ivory stocks,
valued at about $13 million, she said.