Botswana denies external influence in ongoing regional elephant census

The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Responding to rumors that the census could likely be manipulated by international sponsors in a bid to influence a continued ban on the sale of ivory the DWNP Director said KAZA TFCA Secretariat is directly supervised by the member states, and so are the projects it coordinates for the member states. In view of the above, the concerns you refer to relating to ‘manipulation of figures by international sponsors’ are unfounded.” Zimbabwean media this week raised concerns about the way the elephant census in the country is being conducted, making reference to “allegations” that funders of the exercise could manipulate figures in a bid to influence a continued ivory ban at the CITES CoP-19. Botswana’s DWNP Director Senyatso said member states are financing the survey in terms of among others; salary and living costs of ‘observers’ who do the actual counts of elephants in the field, logistical support in terms of vehicles, securing airstrips used for the survey and other ground-support, and seconding personnel to the survey operational room in Kasane. This operations room is provided rent-free by DWNP.” The DWNP Director is part of a committee of wildlife directors from the five KAZA TFCA member states that supervise the project.