The Forrest City times., 1896-07-10
SANCTUARY FOR ELEPHANTS.
somaliland Would Make = Good One n
Set Apart at Once.


A correspondent writes urging the
need of immediate action. II the African
elephant is to be saved from speedy ex
tinction 81 desire to call attention.
he says, ito the opportunity which our
protectorate over Somaliland gives us
Tor constituting a portion of that coun.
try sanctuary for the remaining herds
of those animals-an opportunity Sc
favorable in all respects that it seems
only necessary to state the case TO in.
sure the adoption of this measure.
"Of late years Somaliland has been
traversed by numerous parties OF
sportsmen, and the herds of elephants
which few years ago inhabited the
mountain range behind Berbera have
been driven out. This took place in the
belt of country, the hunting in which is
now reserved for the use of officers OF
the Aden garrison. These herds, or the
remnants of them, have taken refuge
more than a hundred miles furthe. to
the west, in the country of the Gada.
bursi, to the south of Zeila.
This large tract has been recently
added to the Alden reserve, which there
fore now again contains elephants. My
suggestion is that the shooting of ele.
plants should be prohibited within tho
whole of the reserve. Great advantages
are granted to the officers of the Alden
garrison, which l should be the last I'd
grudge them, and 1t Is a small conces-
sion to ask them to make in return
that, within certain specified limits,
they should abstain altogether from
killing elephants. l do not for mo.
ment believe that these gentlemen, who
are good sportsmen, would oppose this
measure. Even if the privilege were
nominally retained for them, il would
| not be of long duration. The expert
ence of the past would be repeated. II
is not that the animals are extermi-
mated; the essential fact to be remem-
bered is that single shot fired at one
| member of the herd is enough to make
whole band abandon that part of the
country
This belt of country is particularly
favorable for the constitution Of such
sanctuary. 1t is comparatively near
home, and therefore likely to be under
constant observation. saw tracks OF
elephants on the 18th day from leav-
ing London. The close supervision by
the assistant residents, who are able
and experienced administrators, sta
toned on the coast, would be compare
lively easy, owing to the fact that nu-
merous parties of sportsmen traverse
the region in question every year, and
would, of course, report. They are
also kept informed by native caravans,
who visit the coast for purposes Of trade.
and who, owing TO the wise and just
treatment which they have received,
are our fast friends. The Somalis are
unarIned, except with spears, and there
fore have not the power even if they
had the will, to go behind the restric-
| ton. They decline to eat the flesh Of
elephants; therefore an elephant killed
is q ton of meat wasted, which is a thing
abhorrent to us all. The region in ques-
ton, which is mountainous, with fairly
abundant forests and river beds Dor;
dered with dense jungle, is peculiarly
attractive to elephants.
Let me deal with possible objec.
tions. ] have heard it urged that the
OlHCCIS db <idtn WOuiu Uldkt I'D III li0
use of the right that there is no pur-
pose in restricting them. / do not
| think they would make this claim for
themselves. On the contrary, / have
reason TO expect the heartiest coopera-
tion from the authorities at Alden. 1t is
obvious that a sanctuary in which the
favored few are allowed TO go on killing
elephants is no sanctuary at all. Ii has
been said that restriction for this area
would be useless, as the Abyssinians,
who have guns. raid il in search Of
ivory; but to this l reply-frst. that
such raids should be prevented, and,
secondly. if the elephants were thus har-
rassed, they would find refuge in the
eastern part of the reserve, which they
frequented less than ten years ago, and
which is out of reach of the Abyssinian
frontier.
"A memorandum embodying these
considerations has been forwarded to
the India office. 1t has, believe, been
favorably entertained by the secretary
of state, and forwarded to the govern
ment of Bombay, under whose political
| supervision Somaliland lies. My pur-
pose in writing to you is to invite an
expression of opinion from naturalists,
sportsmen, and, not least, from those
interested in the future of Africa. The
question of once more utilizing the
| African elephant, as was certainly done
in Ptolemaic times, may be one for SUBJ
sequent consideration. The preserva-
| tion of the race from extinction is
urgent. Two or three years hence il
may be too late so far as Somaliland =
concerned. London Times.