Africa "Hemmorhaging Elephants" at Record Rate

Greetings, ATS.

This is horrific news. According to Discovery News, 62% of all forest elephants have been killed over the past decade.

oo Maisels of the World Conservation Society led the research. WCS spokesperson Stephen Sautner shared these findings from the study with Discovery News: ·

A rapid trend towards extinction is expected — potentially within the next decade — of the forest elephant, according to the authors.

· Almost a third of the land where African forest elephants were able to live 10 years ago has become too dangerous for them.

· Forest elephants were increasingly uncommon in places with high human density, high infrastructure density such as roads, high hunting intensity, and poor governance as indicated by levels of corruption and absence of law enforcement.

· Research carried out by the CITES-MIKE program has shown that the increase in poaching levels across Africa since 2006 is strongly correlated with trends in consumer demand in the Far East, and that poaching levels are also strongly linked with governance at the national level and poverty at the local scale. This has resulted in escalating elephant massacres in areas previously thought to be safe.

Could our generation see the last of the forest elephants? I hate to think so....but this seems to indicate that unless drastic measures are taken, these majestic beasts will become extinct.

This saddens me. The elephant is an amazing creature, intelligent and strong. To think it may soon be gone is distressing, to say the least.

I guess the only thing we can do (I'm referring to the average person on the internet) is to get the word out about what is happening. So pass the news along, my friends.

OP you are one of the few that manages to stir my emotions with your posts. Elephants have bigger brains than humans and I believe strongly are far more intelligent than any of their killers will ever be. I despair at the human race. Always believing that we are better, yet being so dumb. I couldn't read the post, that is how much it hurts me. But thanks for highlighting these things.

And Rhinos too.
There are some seriously sick (in the head) people in Asia who believe all these animal horns, bones, testicals, brains and feet are going to give them better sex lives or less headaches or bigger muscles or whatever stupid, primitive, moronic other things they imagine..... And the number one reason...The ivory trade

China, Vietnam and Thailand are basically responsible for the huge, disgusting drops in all manner of animals.. while many Africans are also out killing them to sell on to these gangs so that they can feed their families.
The whole thing is a big disgusting, depressing mess and we are about to lose some of the planets most amazing creatures because of some retarded people wanting their parts for medicines and ornaments

Tigers, Elephants, Rhinos, Snow Leopards, Gorillas, Great Whites.

There are now also some species that can only be seen in nature reserves and zoos.

Because of human beings.


Well done.

reply to post by smyleegrl


Hi smyleegrl

Was watching the news yesterday
Its not just the elephant thats nearly gone, so has the rhino.

There's an estimated 3000 left in the wild.
We can thank china's huge demand for it thats pushed the prices very high
They basically use the tusks to cure everything even cancer.

Thank god as a child i got a chance to sit on an elephant at Billy Smarts circus
cheers

They need to treat Rhinos and Elephants like we do Cows so they survive. Create managed heards for food etc... it sound harsh but it is reality that Africans need them for food etc...and will keep killing them till they are extinct. If we heard them their is a higher chance of survival in my mind.

reply to post by smyleegrl


Hello smyleegrl!
When I read the title, I thought African elephants had developed some sort of disease! But you copied the title as required.
It is sad that there is still an urge to have ivory today, when synthetics are far superior to ivory. They are stronger, don't yellow and do not crack with age.

As far as the Chinese medicine goes, someone needs to set them straight about what nutrition means; lions, tigers and bears dying so they can get a stiffy needs to stop.

reply to post by davesmart

They basically use the tusks to cure everything even cancer.

It is my understanding that they use anything from an animal that remotely resembles a phallus as an aphrodisiac. They need to try some little blue pills from Pfizer instead.

Someone posted this comment a few years ago, I don't remember who and I can't remember on what exact thread. But basically, the point was that we (humans) consume that which we secretly admire.

In other words, the reason the elephant, rhino, tiger, etc are killed and made into "medicines" is because we secretly emulate them, and want their strength. So we consume them.

Sad, sad, sad.

On Sunday night here a program ran a beautifull story on a lady called kuki Gallmann, you may have heard of her. She has land in Kenya that she's dedicated to elephants among other animals.

Her life is spent defending the animals and fighting off poachers even in the physical way. Wonderful women and elephants what an amazing animal. Btw she actually tries to help the poachers or would be young poachers find other forms of income. Link below.

sixtyminutes.ninemsn.com.au...

Hope this works as I'm on my phone

Eta: not sure if I can link her web site, but I will anyway

www.gallmannkenya.org...


Eta again I just thought I should add more about her story for those that can't see, watch or whatever-

This women had been shot at, beaten to near death and has had 6 poachers shot on her land. She doesn't actually blame to shooter as much going on to say they need to earn money some how. She blames the black market and buyers. And that in my opinion is who is at fault. So very sad.

Originally posted by smyleegrl
Someone posted this comment a few years ago, I don't remember who and I can't remember on what exact thread. But basically, the point was that we (humans) consume that which we secretly admire.

In other words, the reason the elephant, rhino, tiger, etc are killed and made into "medicines" is because we secretly emulate them, and want their strength. So we consume them.

Sad, sad, sad.

This. Humans going way back have always done this. Consume the heart of your enemy to gain their strength, etc.

I lived in Bangkok, Thailand when I was 13/14 when my father was stationed there. We had indian elephants come down our road all the time with handlers.

My sister and I used to go out and say hi to them. Their smell is strong, but you get used to it.

However, their eyes used to always sort of freaked me out. It was as though the elephants would look at us and have this "knowing" look in their eyes.

After we left there, I've always looked at elephants in a different light.

reply to post by Xeven


The number of elephants that are killed and butchered for food is miniscule, a drop in the ocean, compared to the number of them that are simply murdered for their ivory and their carcases left to rot away!
The whole of the Far East is to blame!
Google is to blame!
Trophy Hunters are to blame!


ps. S&F even though I didn't want to read this thread and had no intention of posting in it as it just makes me sad for my mother continent on the one hand and makes my blood boil on the other!

reply to post by smyleegrl


This is terribly sad to hear and read.

Elephants are my favorite animal. I admire and envy the fact of their ability to remember quite well.

Is there something that could be done? Or is it just going to happen inevitably?

Thanks for sharing the info friend.

Peace and love
~nat the blue eyed cat~

Whenever I am sad...I think about tiny kittens doing cartwheels on top of an elephant...

reply to post by smyleegrl


And it's because China consumes 90% of all available ivory. If China can curtail their craving for all things ivory, the elephants get to live.

When will the joy China delivers upon humanity stop?

The elephant is an amazing creature, intelligent and strong.

Indeed.

So what sort of a reprobate, half-witted, oxygen thieving waste of space would even consider harming such a majestic creature, and any other creature that we share this planet with for that matter?

I swear........some "people" really ###### piss me off.

IF, as some try to say. Benevolent Aliens are coming to Earth to rescue the poor intelligent beings here.....

I pray they only rescue the animals, and leave the humans to rot in their own greed.

JMOHO....

Des

This is where drone tech would be useful. The drones could first be used with the right sensors and computer filtering to locate every elephant within a given area for the Game Wardens to track. Then 'interdiction' patrols could poach the poachers once clear intent is established ..... and I wouldn't be feeling generous about benefits over doubts so simply not approaching Elephants anywhere with a weapon would be my public service announcement for the program.

Just my idea of a solution.

reply to post by feelingconnected

She's an admirable woman,and smart-poaching is likely to rapidly decline if the poachers have another income.No one wants to starve,so although i could cheerfully strangle a poacher myself when i read of the massacre of these unique and magnificent animals-one has to understand that for some,poaching is the only thing that stands between the poacher and maybe his children going hungry..Im sure every poacher would actually prefer a fulltime adequate income protecting animals,as in a career as a game ranger,or even just a helper on a game reserve,than a sporadic and dangerous income as a poacher.They are propably well aware that there are parts of Africa where they will be shot on sight-im sure they would prefer a safer and steady income.
But first and foremost-the demand HAS to be stopped.
This is a very depressing topic-i absolutely revere elephants,and i hate that so many other species too,like the tiger and rhino is faced with extinction.The Chinese are smart people-so frustrating that regarding this issue, they keep indulging in this superstitious nonsense.

HEROES

reply to post by Raxoxane

As game ranger Sias van Rooyen shows in the above vid-these poachers often come locked and loaded so it can get brutal-for both sides.Till HOPEFULLY one day the demand is stopped,de-horning is a solution.Only problem,de-horning and de-tusking done on a large scale may be extemely expensive,never mind a logistical nightmare,but its the only solution that offers promise right now.It seems that even the threat of being shot on sight,will not deter the poachers,they pitch up with firepower of their own,and seems willing to risk their lives to gain the tusks and horns-which i think shows some desperation for an income.

So yeah i would say for now,dehorning/de-tusking(i would rather see the animal alive without its trademark horn/tusks) but of course,to stop the problem at source(Demand) is the only truly lasting way these great and wonderful animals would ever be truly safe from extinction.