Combatting Elephant Poaching: An Overview
On safari in South Africa, I was able to witness firsthand several elephants in their natural habitat playing by a watering hole. Sitting there, I was overwhelmed by their presence; they had a certain air about them, an overpowering calmness that radiated towards our Jeep. I watched as one of the elephants gazed at his reflection in the water. I could feel the animal’s intelligence just by watching him behave naturally. After these mesmerizing encounters with the elephants on safari, I decided to do some research. As I learned more and more about the plight of the elephants, it deeply affected me. How could it be that such incredible creatures are being absolutely annihilated by humans? In my research I found that the demand for ivory from the East and the current crisis that African elephants face are anything but new. Elephants have been exploited for their ivory long before colonial times. Archaeologists recently excavated ivory adorned with ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics that dates as far back as 3400 BC. Used in jewelry, ornaments, statues and a myriad of different items, ivory has always represented a certain level of social status and privilege.Continue reading “Combatting Elephant Poaching: An Overview”