An Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) has been put in place to monitor ivory trade in the Central African Sub-region.

Experts in wildlife protection have decried the alarming decrease of elephants population as well as other protected wildlife species in the Central African Sub Region. Meeting in Limbe on April 7 to 9, 2015, delegates from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, and Cameroon agreed on the putting in place of an anti-poaching tracking system.

It was within this framework that the Elephant Trade Information System, ETIS, a tool kit that enables the collection of information about ivory trade in the sub-region was instituted. The Regional Director-Central Africa for Wildlife Trade Monitory Network, TRAFFIC, Paulinus Ngeh, said Central Africa harbours a good population of forest and savannah elephants.

He regretted the fact that they are suffering from extinction. Paulinus Ngeh revealed that the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) is timely. TRAFFIC statistics indicate that there has been a 62 per cent decrease in elephant population between 2002 and 2012. Over 25 000 elephants are killed every year in the Region. On the international scale, 170 tons of ivory were seized throughout the world between 2009 and June 2014.

The South West Regional Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife, Samuel Eben Ebai warned participants that the situation will go off hand if urgent measures are not taken. About 100 tons of elephant parts have been seized from poachers in the South West Region.  He expressed worry that the elephant population is seriously declining and will worsen in 22 years if nothing is done to help protect them as well as other wildlife species.