AN ELEPHANT ECONOMY?

Today, many believe the ban in the trade of elephant goods is needed to conserve elephants. Furthermore, there is an increasing interest in trying to reduce the demand for elephant goods, while at the same time trying to increase the demand for elephant services – notably ecotourism.

But what if we could manage the supply of both elephant goods and services sustainably? What would an elephant economy look like and could it be sustainable?

One way to begin to address these questions would be to study the economics of the elephant management programme in place in the Kruger National Park (KNP) prior to 1990. This was the year when elephants were listed on CITES Appendix I, putting an end to commercial trade in elephant products.

“Further research on the potential economic, ecological and social benefits and costs of developing a legal elephant economy