1.
GV EXT Tsavo National Park Kenya
0.06

2.
GV Elephant and zebra on the move (4 shots)
0.37

3.
CU Kenya National Park sign.
0.38

4.
CU Chief Game Warden Mutinda replies to questions


5.
SV Dead elephants with vultures around.
1.15

6.
CU skull of elephant
1.19

7.
CV & CU 4,000 elephant skulls arranged in the Tsavo Research Centre (2 shots)
1.36

8.
LV Elephants on the move.
1.46

9.
LV Two elephants walking away.
1.54


Reporter: "What future plans are there for more methods of stopping poaching?"



Mutinda: "Well we have several plans under way. I don't think it would be wise to disclose all of them but one of them is to tighten even more the hunting and even the trading in ivory. If we think it becomes necessary we may have to have all the ivory handled by Government and not private hands at all, if private hands provide a loophole and also we may have to end up stopping any hunter from selling his trophies. If I may say the biggest problem we have is not the poachers here but the people who are buying it overseas because as long as this market remains even if we ban all trading in ivory, ivory will still find its own way there in the same way that the leopard is still finding its own way there. We banned leopard trading about a year ago and still the leopard is still being poached."




Initials APSM/1743 APSM/1600



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The rising price of ivory on the world market is threatening Kenya's elephants - and the wild life based tourist industry.

The price of ivory has increased tenfold in the last six years and now stands about 70 U.S dollars a kilo (GBP 28 for 2.2lbs.)
The high prices are leading to the increased slaughter of elephants by poachers sager to cash in on the world market.

For ivory is fast becoming one of the world's most sought after commodities and is being hoarded as a hedge against inflation alongside Old Masters and antiques, apart from its more traditional uses.

A recent case before the Kenyan courts involved the killing of 122 elephants for their ivory.

Now the issue of shooting licences to new applicants has been halted for six months and all "collectors" licences permitting the recovery of ivory resulting from natural death, has been withdrawn.

Mr. John Mutinda, Chief Game Warden of Tsavo Game Park was asked about conservation measures.