Have you ever been to Africa ? I can’t imagine this is news to anyone but, yes, widespread corruption and mismanaged conservation programs do keep money from protecting threatened species. Funds either get diverted from their purpose or are not being dedicated to conservation in the first place. Crack down on ivory and you would find the money from out of general revenue.
I’ve never been to Africa but I have cousins that went. Typical missionary work. They came away with stories about corruption, bribes and mismanaged everything. Their actual words were “imagine an entire country like NYC or Chicago.”
I guess the mob has nothing on African strongmen.