MONITORING THE ILLEGAL KILLING OF ELEPHANTS BACKGROUND AND

MONITORING THE ILLEGAL KILLING OF ELEPHANTS

© BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES (what MIKE can and cannot do)

RESOLUTION CONF. 10 (Rev. ) AGREES THAT: The system known as MIKE, established under the supervision of the Standing Committee, shall continue and be expanded with the following objectives: i) measuring and recording levels and trends, and changes in levels and trends, of illegal hunting and trade in ivory in elephant range States, and in trade entrepots;

RESOLUTION CONF. 10 (Rev. ) ii) assessing whether, and to what extent, observed trends are related to changes in the listing of elephant populations in the CITES appendices and / or the resumption of legal international trade in ivory; iii) establishing an information base to support the making of decisions on appropriate management, protection and enforcement needs; and iv) building capacity in range States;

RESOLUTION CONF. 10 (Rev. ) The CITES Secretariat will request / subcontract technical support from appropriate experts, with advice of the MIKE Technical Advisory Group (TAG), to: a) select sites for monitoring as representative samples; b) develop a standardized methodology for data collection analysis;

RESOLUTION CONF. 10 (d) c) provide training to designated officials in countries with selected sites and to CITES Management Authorities of elephant range States; d) collate and process all data and information from all sources identified; and e) provide a report … for transmission to the Standing Committee and Parties to CITES.

THE PURPOSE OF ‘MIKE’ • To measure levels and trends in the illegal hunting of elephants • To determine changes in these trends over time • To establish correlations between the relevant parameters and assess to what extent observed trends are a result of CITES decisions

THE PURPOSE OF ‘MIKE’ • The overall aim of MIKE is to provide information needed for elephant range States to make appropriate management and enforcement decisions, and to build institutional capacity within the range States for the longterm management of their elephant populations

WHAT MIKE ‘IS’ AND WHAT IT ‘IS NOT’ • MIKE is a site-based system to monitor elephant population trends and the illegal killing of elephants • MIKE is not, in itself, a programme to stop the illegal killing of elephants • MIKE is about capacity building, at the national level, for more effective conservation management

THE BENEFITS OF ‘MIKE’ • For the first time, at an international level and on a consistent scientific basis, MIKE will assess, in the selected MIKE sites, the levels and trends of elephant populations and illegal killing. • MIKE will attempt to identify the reasons for any change in these population trends. • MIKE will assist not only elephant conservation but the benefits of improved resource management will flow to other species sharing habitat with them. • MIKE will significantly increase the capacity of conservation staff in governments and NGOs to monitor this and other threatened species and this expertise will be directly applicable to other sites.

Data needs and considerations • Population numbers and trends • Mortality rates • Measures of search and Deterrent Effort > budget levels > staffing levels • Other key factors > civil strife > > large-scale development activities trade in other illicit commodities illegal killing in nearby areas extent of community involvement • Qualitative or Proxy Information

WHY WE MUST MEASURE EFFORT ? Has Poaching Increased Significantly? TO AVOID JUMPING TO THE WRONG CONCLUSIONS, WE NEED TO MEASURE: • The number of elephants killed illegally each year Numbers Killed Illegally • The enforcement effo expended to gain this information Year

Jumping to wrong conclusions Period Illegally Killed Elephants Enforcement Effort 1 2 Conclusion: No change in Poaching Correct conclusion: Poaching has increased

Jumping to wrong conclusions Period Illegally Killed Elephants Enforcement Effort 1 2 Conclusion: Increase in poaching Correct conclusion: No change in Poaching

The importance of recording effort

Jumping to wrong conclusions Simply recording elephant deaths doesn’t tell us the cause/s of these deaths: • • • civil strife human - elephant conflict bushmeat drought / disease / natural mortality Illegal ivory trade

Chronology of MIKE October 1997: (a) Resolution Conf. 10 comes into effect. December 1997: A workshop of Experts (in elephant biology, management, conservation management, trade, law enforcement, population modelling and statistics), from both African and Asian range States convened in Nairobi to assist in developing the international monitoring system January 1998: African Elephant Specialist Group meeting in Burkina Faso to review recommendations and propose sites March 1998: IUCN/SSC and TRAFIC present recommendations to 40 th meeting of CITES Standing Committee in London September 1998: Prototype MIKE system presented to 3 rd African Elephant Range States dialogue meeting in Arusha October 1998: Prototype MIKE system presented to the Asian Elephant Specialist Group

Chronology of MIKE (b) February 1999: Standing Committee endorses MIKE its at 41 st meeting, in Geneva, and establishes a Sub-Group to oversee, on its behalf, and in collaboration with the Secretariat and IUCN, “the further development, refinement and implementation of MIKE” April 1999: MIKE Pilot phase launched in Central Africa at a workshop in Libreville, hosted by ECOFAC, and attended by range States, NGOs and donor agencies June 1999: Secretariat contracts IUCN to develop MIKE data collection protocols and to progress Pilot Programs (funded by the ‘seed money’ from the CITES Trust Fund) November 1999: Secretariat conducts MIKE workshop in Namibia to initiate MIKE in Southern Africa. Namibia elected to Chair the Southern African Steering Committee

Chronology of MIKE (c)

MONITORING ILLEGAL KILLING MIKE ON THE WEB (www. cites. org)

CURRENT PRIORITIES Over the coming months, the Secretariat will move to: • Establish the MIKE Central Coordination Office in Nairobi • Finalize the TAG review of the ‘MIKE’ data protocols • Coordinate MIKE Steering Committee meetings in Central and Southern Africa • Attempt to secure long-term donor funding for ‘MIKE’ , including funding for MIKE in Asia • Further develop ‘MIKE’ on the CITES Web

© The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Site selection and remaining elephant range Site selection 45 sites in Africa (15 in Asia) based on statistical selection of combinations of various factors: (e. g. forest vs. savanna, relative size of site and elephant population, conflicts with neighbouring people, historical incidence of illegal killing, proximity to international borders, incidence of civilmilitary conflict, protection effort)

Site selection and remaining elephant range MIKE sites in eastern Africa • Eritrea • Kenya • • • - Gash Setit - Elgon NP - Samburu/Laikipia Rwanda - Akagera Tanzania - Katavi Rukwa - Ruaha NP - Selous GR Uganda - Queen Elizabeth NP Site update Remaining range/voluntary sites

Update on MIKE sites

© STRUCTURE AND COORDINATION OF THE MIKE PROGRAMME

MIKE STRUCTURE SUBREGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEES (WEST AFRICA; CENTRAL AFRICA; EAST AFRICA; SOUTHERN AFRICA) STANDING COMMITTEE MIKE SUBGROUP MIKE CENTRAL COORDINATION UNIT MIKE TAG CITES SECRETARIAT CITES COP

STRUCTURE (EAST AFRICA) CENTRAL COORDINATION UNIT SUBREGIONAL SUPPORT OFFICER SUBREGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE Eritrea; Kenya; Rwanda; Tanzania; Uganda National Officer National Officer Eritrea Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Uganda Site Officers Site Officer Elgon NP Akagera Gash Setit Samburu/laikipia Katavi Rukwa Ruaha NP Selous GR Queen Elizabeth NP

Structure and coordination of the MIKE programmes - Roles and responsibilities SITE OFFICER • Oversee collection of data as agreed under MIKE protocols • Oversee compilation of data into monitoring and annual report • Manage the data compilation and analysis at site level and transit to national level • Provide and maintain the support for keeping the site teams and equipment operational • Assist in identifying training needs and in arranging training opportunities • Provide feedback on protocol deficiencies and other constraints and bottlenecks • Liaise with the National Officer • Manage expenditure (including donor reporting requirements)

Structure and coordination of the MIKE programmes - Roles and responsibilities NATIONAL OFFICER • Co-ordinate and support efforts of Site Officer(s) and their teams • Ensure harmonisation of site operations • Liaise with Sub-regional Support Officer on MIKE training, implementation and data transmission • Manage data compilation and analysis at and from the national level • Keep their National Steering Committee member informed • Manage expenditure (including donor reporting requirements)

DATA FLOW AND ANALYSIS CENTRAL COORDINATION UNIT SUBREGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE Eritrea; Kenya; Rwanda; Tanzania; Uganda National Officer National Officer Eritrea Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Uganda Site Officers Site Officer Elgon NP Akagera Gash Setit Samburu/laikipia Katavi Rukwa Ruaha NP Selous GR Queen Elizabeth NP

MIKE DATA FLOW AND ANALYSIS

ANALYSIS OF MIKE DATA Refer Handout (Doc. 11. 31. 2): Annex 1: Section 2

Overview of requirements for MIKE implementation • GOALS OF THE MONITORING PROGRAM • To determine real trends in illegal killing of elephants • To determine changes in these trends over time • To determine the probable causes of these changes over time

Which inputs are needed to achieve these goals? DATA REQUIRED PER SITE • Elephant population numbers (and trends) • Mortality rates (primarily mortality due to illegal killing) • Measure of protection & law enforcement effort in terms of budgets, staffing, vehicles and equipment

Which inputs are needed to achieve these goals? Other measurable external factors, e. g. : • Presence or recent cessation of civil strife in or near the site • Increasing levels of human activity • Other illegal activity or trade in other illicit commodities (e. g. diamonds) • Extent of community involvement in conservation

Which inputs are needed to achieve these goals? Other qualitative data e. g. : • Notable changes in elephant behaviour or distribution patterns • Numbers of poaching camps found within the site • Intelligence reports from the local area • Changes in the profile of illegal hunter

The Key Data Collection Activities in MIKE • Elephant population estimate for each site (within 2000 -2003 period) - aerial survey in savanna sites, elephant dung transect surveys in forest sites • Ground-based data collection for recording information on carcases and illegal activities (ground patrols, anti-poaching patrols etc. ) • Desk-based collation of direct and indirect sources of information about the socioeconomical and socio-political context, incidence of illegal activities and conservation & protection effort at each site

What do we need to do at each site? SPECIFIC OUTPUTS EXPECTED • Aerial/dung surveys (every two years) • Ground patrol reports (elephant carcass reports) • Intelligence reports • Monthly reports (compiled from the ground and carcass reports) • Annual reports (compiled from the monthly reports)