Publication

Given the acute threats facing elephants today, this paper discusses how new realities are forcing African policymakers to rethink the assumptions behind their sustainable use (SU) policies, which aim to balance people’s economic welfare with protecting elephants. Put another way, rampant corruption in Africa and along illegal ivory supply chains, and changing sentiments outside of Africa, are 1) limiting the scope of some SU management tools, and 2) obscuring the unintended consequences of national SU policies on regional elephant populations.