Latest news with #NationalParksDirectorate
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rare 'Ghost Elephant' Sighting Comes with Grave Warning About the Species
An elephant not seen for several years was captured on camera walking through a national park in Senegal The "Ghost Elephant," named Ousmane, was considered to be one of five to 10 elephants left at Niokolo-Koba National Park in 2019 "Elephants are under immense pressure in West Africa. Only a few populations of the pachyderms survive in this region," an expert saidAn elusive elephant that hasn't been photographed in several years was recently caught on camera strolling through a national park in Senegal. This is the first time an elephant has been documented in the location since 2020. In footage captured by a camera trap at Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park (PNNK), both the wild cat conservation organization Panthera and Senegal's National Parks Directorate (DPN) caught a glimpse of what is being called a "Ghost Elephant" — a name the African forest elephant has earned because of its infrequent appearances in Senegal. The video marks the first time an African forest elephant has been photographed or filmed in the park in five years, and the first time the specific elephant in the clip — Ousmane, who was named after a park ranger — has been seen since 2019. At the time, Ousmane was considered to be one of five to ten African forest elephants left at Niokolo-Koba, which used to house hundreds of elephants before the "devastating impacts of poaching and habitat loss," according to the organizations. In the footage, Ousmane walks in the dark, gets an up-close glimpse at the camera set-up, and continues on. As the World Wildlife Fund points out, the African forest elephant was declared Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2021. "Elephants are under immense pressure in West Africa. Only a few populations of the pachyderms survive in this region," Philipp Henschel, west and central regional director of Panthera, said in a statement to Newsweek. "Niokolo-Koba National Park, where this individual was filmed, is the last area in Senegal where this endangered species survives." As Henschel told the outlet, Panthera and the DPN had "gradually increased the protection" of Niokolo-Koba National Park since their joint park support program launched in 2017. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Additional successes for the program include a significant increase in the West African lion population, which has doubled in the park since Panthera and the National Parks Directorate began working on initiatives. As for the "Ghost Elephant," there are now organized surveys to "assess if the elephant we recently filmed is the sole survivor in the park and therefore in Senegal," Henschel told Newsweek. "If this was found to be the case, we will assess the feasibility of translocating a herd of females into the park, so as to found a new breeding elephant population in Senegal." Read the original article on People
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Animal So Rare It's Called a 'Ghost' Caught on Cam for First Time in Years
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Niokolo-Koba National Park (PNNK) in Senegal has long been a haven for some of West Africa's most-elusive wildlife. Yet among them, one creature has remained almost mythical—an elephant so rarely seen that it has earned the name "ghost elephant." Now, for the first time in half-a-decade, a camera trap has captured video footage of the solitary giant, offering a haunting glimpse into the park's dwindling population of African elephants. New footage captured by wildcat conservation organization Panthera, in collaboration with Senegal's National Parks Directorate (DPN), revealed the moment a male elephant called Ousmane moved through the darkness. Named after Ousmane Sarr, a veteran park ranger who dedicated his life to protecting Niokolo-Koba's endangered species, the elephant steps silently into view in the black-and-white footage. His large frame glows pale under the night-vision lens. The African forest elephant is smaller and differs slightly to the Savanna elephant. Native to humid tropical forests in West Africa and the Congo Basin, it is the smallest of the three living elephant species, reaching a shoulder height of 7 feet, 9 inches. The term "ghost elephant" is often used to describe the isolated populations in areas like Senegal. Ousmane the elephant was last spotted in January 2019, and is the first to be photographed since 2020. He is considered one of just five to 10 elephants remaining in the park—an alarming number considering the area was home to approximately 450 elephants in the late 1970s. Today, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species places the African forest elephant as critically endangered and decreasing in population. A picture from footage of the "ghost elephant" captured for the first time in five years. A picture from footage of the "ghost elephant" captured for the first time in five years. Panthera & Senegal's National Parks Directorate DPN Hope for the Elephants Still, there is some hope for the solitary elephants, as the sighting sparked discussions on what can be done to protect the creature for the future, including potential relocation strategies to restore a breeding elephant population. Niokolo-Koba's wildlife has shown resilience before. The park's critically endangered West African lion population has more than doubled since 2011, following persistent anti-poaching efforts and scientific monitoring led by conservation experts Panthera and the DPN. This success recently prompted UNESCO to remove Niokolo-Koba from the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger, reflecting conservation gains—including protections for the region's largest-remaining leopard population. Ousmane is not the only recent rediscovery in the park either. Just a few months ago, another camera trap captured an endangered giant pangolin, marking the first documented sighting of the species in Niokolo-Koba in 24 years. Newsweek reached out to Philipp Henschel and Chele Martinez Marti from the Panthera organization via email for comment.
