 |
Existing palm oil plantations draw elephants out of the already fragmented forest areas and into the
favored conditions of farms. As a result, valuable crops are destroyed by the elephants. This
human/elephant conflict has resulted in elephants being poisoned, shot and captured, further reducing
already declining populations of this endangered species.
The Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks, along with the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund,
continue to provide financial support that aids conflict resolution through a three-part plan
developed by WWF, which includes short-, mid-, and long-term strategies benefiting both people and
elephants. The plans are effective – from training local “chase teams” to keep elephants out of
plantations in the short term, to building fences, to re-allocating land use so that tempting palm oil
crops are grown farther away from forest habitat and existing acacia plantations can serve as buffer
zones.
“To get people to work for conservation, you need to find ways of making conservation work for them,”
said Tom Dillon, Director of WWF’s Species Conservation Program. “With support from Busch Gardens and
SeaWorld, we’re implementing creative solutions that result in win-win solutions for both local people
and wildlife.”
Making a difference in large-scale conservation is seldom easy. It is often a complex matrix of
negotiation with communities, governments, invested companies and consumers. Tesso Nilo is a great example of how, with the right
expertise and support, it really can happen.
|
