Alexandre Wathaut, Provincial Director for ICCN in North Kivu said: "This is the worst month we have seen in a long time in terms of recorded elephant deaths. ICCN is making official representations to the Congolese military and to the militia for this slaughter to stop. We call on the international community to engage in solving the region's political problems, for the sake of the local population as well as for Virunga's unique wildlife."

South Africa's 13-year moratorium on elephant culling was lifted today, raising concerns of a return to the international trade in ivory seen in the 1970s and 1980s. The growing presence of China in the region has also increased the local demand for ivory. According to a BBC report earlier this week, Indian MONUC troops flew a helicopter into Virunga National Park to trade ammunition for ivory with the FDLR. The concern is that this news is filtering through to the well-armed groups in the area who now see an opportunity to raise funds by killing elephants for ivory.

Dr Emmanuel de Merode, Director of WildlifeDirect.org, said: "The upsurge in elephant killings in Virunga is part of a widespread slaughter across the Congo Basin, and is being driven by developments on the international scene: the liberalisation of the ivory trade, being pushed by South Africa, and the increased presence of Chinese operators on the ground, who feed a massive domestic demand for ivory in their home country."

There were 3500 elephants in Virunga National Park in 1959. Surveys in 2006 estimated that there were only 350 elephants left, and the number is believed to have dropped further since. The death of 14 elephants therefore has a considerable impact on the viability of the local elephant population.