Lee White: "It's an absolute crisis"
British-born head of Gabon's national parks agency, Lee White, speaking at the Giants Club Summit on the perilous situation facing Africa's forest elephants
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
At the Giants Club Summit, Lee White, head of Gabon’s national parks agency, re-iterated his commitment to saving the continent’s elephants, highlighting in particular the plight of the forest elephant.
Almost entirely covered by thick rainforest, Gabon is home to about two thirds of Africa’s forest elephants despite holding only 12 per cent of the subspecies’ preferred habitat.
White, whose eco-guard force is fighting a bitter war against poachers in the north east of the country, has transformed Gabon’s national park service into one of the continent’s best.
He is one of many conservationists who yesterday joined African heads of state, business-leaders and philanthropists at the Giants Club Summit, a historic gathering to save Africa’s elephants.
He said: “We need rapid high level political intervention, and while we wait for that intervention, we have soldiers act as body guards for the elephants because otherwise we’re going to lose them.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments