The genocide of elephants and rhinos is more than an immoral eradication of two iconic species at the hands of man, it is a jeopardy inflicted upon any remaining human morals. If the world stands by (some by choice and many under duress) and watches as these two species, like others before them, become extinct, we will not only have lost two prominent figures in the animal kingdom who represent a vast array of wildlife species that also face the same perils to their existence, we will have lost whatever distinct understanding we possess of what is right and what is very obviously wrong, we will lose the ethics of good will that even our species very name depicts; humanity.
Elephants are being massacred in numbers of between 25,000 and 35,000 every year…how much time do we have to consider the after effect of their complete demise? What will the repercussions on the earth be at the loss of such a monumental inhabitant? The answer is: we don’t fully know and we don’t have time to doubt or risk the severity of such an outcome. The human race needs to act in unison against this species being finished off. Those who don’t care, those who think that the loss of these species will not affect their well-being, those who care but are muted…in times past where our kind were faced with overwhelming odds in the battle for what is right, what did we do? We united. That is what must happen now. That is the weapon we have at hand. Because those benefitting from killing elephants and rhinos are the minority. Those guilty of having their hands in the ivory trade and hence dictating the outcome of a future without elephants, must be viewed as any other tyrants in history for that is precisely what they are. They are oppressing the rest of the world, they are denying the rest of the world their rights of having a voice.
Just over 40 years ago the elephant population in Kenya was estimated at over 160,000 and today it is tiltering just around 30,000. If this does not scream the catastrophic effect of the ivory trade on African elephants…what does? Elephants have a very complex and intricate social system, the foundation of which is based upon hierarchy and leadership. Poaching continues to target big tuskers, which primarily focuses on the older elephants, mainly bulls but in desperation the poachers are indiscriminant killers and will kill whenever, wherever, and whomever they can.
The disastrous repercussions of an elephant family torn apart by poaching as described by Dame Daphne Sheldrick: “Their emotions are exactly the same as ours. They’ve lost their families, have seen their mothers slaughtered, and they come here filled with aggression—devastated, broken, and grieving. They suffer from nightmares and sleeplessness.” Read more here: ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/orphan-elephants/siebert-text
The illegal ivory trade is a ruthless business that leaves many bloody strings attached, such as the carnage of a species. Elephants are capable of experiencing similar trauma to that of Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder, doesn’t that make them as equally intelligent and even more so than us, to be receptive to such intense emotions? At the culmination of this post another relevant topic has arisen; It is imperative that large, well funded NGOs work in collaboration with the smaller projects, that though smaller, carry equally as heavy a weight and force in the common goal of saving elephants. Many NGOs have taken this step in their stride and as a result have bettered their efforts but this strategy of working together must become a global status quo, somewhat, in order for all of us to effectively tackle the poaching war and WIN. Thus the ultimate trial on the human race has arrived – Can our species pull together to save a fellow species?
Elephant Aware’s voice is coming from the field. Resonating through these words is the voice of the Elephant Aware Rangers, Maasai voices, speaking out on behalf of elephants.
www.facebook.com/ElephantAwareMasaiMara
www.elephantaware.org
2 Comments
Indeed, it IS time to unite. It is perilously close to becoming ‘too late’ …
Nothing will be ended until the finger is pointed directly at the China’s massive carving factories which receive the tusks, and China, via world government pressure, closes them down. As long as beautiful objects are carved the number of Asians who don’t care that elephants die will exceed the supply of elephants. We must raise our voices about the carving factories to our government so the governments can pressure China. Nothing carved = nothing to sell/buy = no demand = no poaching.