Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider that it is desirable for elephants that are damaging crops to be killed, as a matter of policy, rather than being fenced out or otherwise deterred; and if not, what aid are they giving to assist countries that face this problem; and
Whether they consider that it is desirable for tigers that are attacking domestic livestock to be killed, as a matter of policy, rather than being fenced out or 71WA otherwise deterred; and if not, what aid are they giving to assist countries that face this problem.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for the Environment and Transport (Baroness Hayman)We are committed to promoting the conservation of these species, particularly through the United Kingdom's membership of IUCN (the World conservation union) and international wildlife agreements. We will work closely with other countries to that end. Where wild animals pose a threat to local communities, it is for the countries concerned to decide how best to respond in the light of the circumstances and their policies for protecting people, wildlife and livestock. These issues are currently subject to negotiations at the CITES conference in Harare. The United Kingdom has provided financial support for the conservation of elephants and the tigers through contributions provided by the Department of the Environment.
The Department for International Development (DFID) provides support to departments in several developing countries, responsible for wildlife, forests and conservation, and for community based development programmes, to help them and the communities they serve better manage and benefit from their wildlife resources. DFID also works with many non-governmental organisations engaged in conservation and development work.