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A leading insurance company is funding research into a rare subspecies
of elephant in the hope it can be saved from extinction.
Online car insurer, elephant.co.uk has given financial support
to the African wildlife conservation charity, Tusk Trust for its
research project into the Forest Elephant. The aim of the project
is to find out more about the species, its genetics, social habits
and dispersal in central Africa. The ultimate aim is to identify
which populations are at risk so they can be protected for future
generations.
The number of Forest Elephants left in the world has dwindled in
the last fifty years and it is estimated that only 30,000 remain,
mainly in central Africa. Destruction of the rain forest and poaching
mean the future is bleak for them. Tusk Trust and elephant.co.uk
hope the project will lead to greater understanding of these beautiful
creatures.
Managing director of elephant.co.uk, Tanzie Oliver, said,
"We have a history of supporting wildlife conservation projects,
particularly those involving elephants. I had never heard of the
Forest Elephant until we started working with Tusk Trust, but after
finding out more about them, we want to do our bit to help with
their conservation."
The project in Africa is being carried out by Mireille Johnson-Bawe
who divides her time between Franceville in Gabon and Cardiff University;
the city in which elephant.co.uk is based.
Chief Executive of Tusk Trust, Charles Mayhew, said, "For
the past seven years Mireille has been working in the rainforests
of Gabon in the field of molecular ecology. She will be using her
skills to build up a genetic profile of the current Forest Elephant
population.
"We are delighted and extremely grateful to elephant.co.uk
for generously agreeing to support this initiative, which will uncover
a significant amount of information on these more elusive elephants.
The wildlife authorities in Gabon will be able to use Mireille's
results to help them improve the protection of these wonderful animals."
Issue date: 18-01-05
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