I've been told that the Mama elephant was likely killed in the nearby forest and her tusks removed by poachers. The baby elephant was then stabbed with a spear by an opportunistic villager. The baby was buried this time, which makes three dead elephants in two months, including two babies.
Five or more well-armed poaching groups are currently operating within the Okapi Reserve. They are tasked and supported by the military - all the way to the highest levels of the military of Province Orientale. The price of ivory continues to be high and RFO park management continues to be blocked by the relative political might of the military compared to the ICCN (Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature). Until this will is changed or broken, or ivory prices decline, elephants will continue to be lost, and many park guards will enter into a very dangerous work environment.
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