Elephant poaching in QNP - shocking photos released

Mother and child



Here skulls gathered. We don't really know how many elephants have been killed recently.
At least 15 locally but likely to be many more.

Killed in the area surrounding Mareja within Quirimbas National Park, Northern Mozambique.  Killed for their ivory.  Ivory turned into trinkets, carved into artefacts that are sold openly in China and across Asia.

Elephants are protected by International CITES legislation - recognised as one of the most majestic and highly intelligent large mammals, from an ancient line of evolution called Afrotheria.  Their killing, trade and the making of artefacts is totally illegal.

Above a mother and baby - the baby would have had only stubs for ivory (teeth) - heartbreaking pointless slaughter. 

I am about to embark on an Appeal to better equip our local team of Rangers and increase our surveillance of the area, which stretches to 36,000 hectares of coastal forest.  These new professional heavily armed groups seem to be close to Mareja.  We provide a sanctuary for a small breeding population of now extremely frigthtened elephants.