In response to an S.O.S call from the nation of Gabon, the British Army has deployed 16 elite soldiers to fight terrorists and protect elephants.
Gabon is believed to have the largest remaining population of forest elephants. But allies of terrorist groups Boko Haram and Al Shabaab are killing them for their tusks and then selling them on the black market to help fund extremist activities.
There are fewer than 100,000 of this subspecies of elephants across Central Africa. In 2013, it was reported that between 50 and 100 forest elephants were being slaughtered daily. In the past ten years, 36,000 elephants have been killed in Gabon.
Over the past five years, British troops have been deployed across several African countries including Tanzania, Rwanda and Ethiopia to to help African park rangers catch, arrest, and prosecute poachers. In Gabon, park rangers confront armed poachers unarmed. The British troops are training rangers to utilize weapons, make arrests, seal crime scenes, collect evidence, and improve communication through the use of technologies such as WhatsApp.
Gabonese park rangers are eager to stop the poachers, and have support from the people and government of Gabon — but they are faced with a difficult task.
Poaching is a complex problem that requires interventions and policy changes on several levels. The British Army’s current effort is heartening. But to ensure these elephants are not poached to extinction, it is crucial to end demand for ivory. China took a step forward when it announced that it would ban ivory carving and trading. But as some have noted, this is not enough. The illegal ivory trade market is much larger than the legal one — a major crackdown on ivory traders is needed in addition to anti-poaching efforts if there is any hope of saving this majestic species.

PLEASE destroy this horrific, brutal, unconscionable, immoral poaching racket — the depraved indifference to the suffering is beyond the pale — LET’S DEMOLISH these horrific poachers once and for all.
Thank you Britain, thanks to your soldiers and thanks to the rangers who fighting for these beloved elephants !!!!
Thank God for our soldiers. I salute them.
Thank you, Britain!!! I wish the US would do the same!!!
Up to 100 elephants slaughtered in a DAY!!? GOOD GOD,, it is just inconceivable and this WORLD IS GOING TO IMPLODE from human evil alone!! There has to be MORE SOLDIERS INVOLVED AND MORE ATTENTION IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA!
Heroes!!! We Need All the nation from around the world combating Wildlife Trafficking!
Thanks a Million!
Why on earth do we have to gather evidence to prosecute them? The solution is fairly obvious.
IN ORDER TO SAVE THESE ANIMALS WE MUST STOP BUYING ANYTHING MADE FROM IVORY AND RHINO HORNS.
WE NEED TO SEND ALOT MORE HELP IN SAVING THESE AWESOME ANIMALS.
we need many more countries to help these rangers get the proper training to saving those awesome elephants.
Can we organise a petition for to support the elephants?
thank god for the british in helping African rangers in how to help in saving these wonderful, majestic animals.