The Mali Elephant Initiative: Synthesis Of Knowledge, Research And Recommendations About The Population, Its Range And The Threats To The Elephants Of The Gourma. (2007)

The Gourma elephant population is unique in Africa for three reasons: it is the northernmost population on the continent, it occupies an exceptionally harsh, arid environment and it owes its existence to historical co-existence with the people of the region. The people and government of Mali have much to be proud of, in their preservation of this valuable cultural and biological treasure. However, pressures on both people and elephants are growing, and accurate knowledge is essential for the development of well-informed strategies if this population of elephants is to have a long-term future.?The aim of the initiative was to better understand: • the current size, composition and status of the elephant population • the ecological requirements of the elephants? • patterns of human activity and their influence on the human-elephant relationship/elephant livelihoods