ARUSHA, Tanzania, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's sustained efforts to fight poaching have cut the number of elephants killed in the Ruaha National Park from 52 in 2012 to just three last year, park conservators said on Friday.
Agricola Lihiru, head of security at the park, attributed the sharp fall in poaching incidences within the protected area to such efforts as deployment of more game warders and stern legal action against poachers.
"We organized a sensitization campaign for communities surrounding the park, which made them more aware of the need to protect the animals and report suspicious activities to authorities," Lihiru said in an interview with Xinhua.
From 2017 to 2018, warders of the park intercepted 360 poaching attempts whereby suspects were arrested and taken to court, he said.
Heightened security, putting a number of poachers behind bars, and wider awareness among communities have collectively made the park safer for elephant, Lihiru said.
Ruaha National Park, the largest in Tanzania, is home to around 15,000 elephants.
