A month-long crackdown on elephant poaching in Tanzania saw more than 1,000 people arrested and only two animals killed.  But after that program was suspended at the end of October, the killing of elephants increased and 60 beasts have been slaughtered since then.

The problem is that the “Operation Terminate” anti-poaching program quickly went off the rails and people were getting hurt – thirteen civilians were killed during the month-long crackdown.  Tanzania’s president wound up sacking four cabinet ministers because of the human rights complaints.

“The anti-poaching operation had good intentions, but the reported murders, rapes and brutality are totally unacceptable,” said Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda. 

Tanzania is now appealing to foreign donors to help strengthen its wildlife department and ranger service.

“Those to be approached include the European Union and Asian countries. Asian countries are reportedly the main consumers of elephant tusks and by-products,” said Deputy Tourism Minister Lazaro Nyalandu.

Wildlife tourism is a major moneymaker for Tanzania, and the decimation of entire herds of elephants for their ivory and rhinos for their horns threatens that bottom line.