Combatting Elephant Poaching: An Overview

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”

The Demand for Rhino Horn Needs to be Satiated

The Demand for Rhino Horn Needs to be Satiated

Gold. Diamonds. Rhino horn. What do these three things have in common? They are all extremely sought after luxury goods. Rhino horn is currently one of the most expensive luxury goods in the world, selling for about $60,000 per kilogram. Each rhino horn itself is approximately 1kg-3kg, so an entire horn can sell for upwards of $150,000. Poaching rhinos and selling their horns is illegal, so the attainment and trade of them is done through highly organized criminal networks. The entire operation involves a chain of criminals including those who do the poaching of the rhino all the way to the merchant in the black market who sells the item to the consumer.Continue reading “The Demand for Rhino Horn Needs to be Satiated”

Cruelty as ‘Sport’: An Overview of Canned Lion Hunting

Cruelty as ‘Sport’: An Overview of Canned Lion Hunting

On my first game drive in South Africa, I heard a gunshot in the distance. We were driving along a protected reserve, quietly observing the fauna and flora around us with our digital cameras. The shot was an abrupt reminder that not all areas of Africa were as peaceful as the one we were currently in. The reserve next door allowed hunting, and we discovered that occasionally we were able to hear their shots. While this particular hunting reserve did not hunt endangered animals, the cruel reality is that many others across Africa do.Continue reading “Cruelty as ‘Sport’: An Overview of Canned Lion Hunting”

Keeping up with our former interns: Lianna Nixon

Keeping up with our former interns: Lianna Nixon

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After completing her Youth 4 African Wildlife Internship in 2014, Lianna Nixon returned back to Boulder, Colorado to continue her studies at University of Colorado’s Classics department. Since then, Lianna has been greatly involved with educating her community on wildlife issues that vary on an international scale. She organized the Global March For Elephants And Rhinos in Boulder on October 4th 2014. She has also lectured in multiple university classes on her experiences from the Y4AW internship. Most recently, Lianna has been to Antarctica, and teamed up with the Young Explorers program onboard Abercrombie and Kent’s cruise, Le Boreal. There, she gave a lecture on African wildlife crime, worked with the kids onboard the cruise, and created a short film “Antarctica, In The Eyes Of A Child,” on Antarctic conservation through a child’s perspective.Continue reading “Keeping up with our former interns: Lianna Nixon”

Keeping up with our former interns: Sarah Doody

Keeping up with our former interns: Sarah Doody

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After completing her Youth 4 African Wildlife internship, Sarah returned to her film and theatre studies at NYU’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Since her internship she has gained the confidence to truly see a project through; from start to finish, and from the rough spots to the easy spots. This past semester she directed a short film called ‘I lost me in it’ about place and identity. She also directed a short play, The Bond, which was accepted into two New York City 1-act festivals at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre and the Riant Theatre. At the Riant Theatre, The Bond made it to the semi-finals.Continue reading “Keeping up with our former interns: Sarah Doody”

Where will the Giants Roam?

Where will the Giants Roam?

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EXPLICIT WARNING

This video should not be viewed by small children. It MUST be viewed by animal lovers, poachers, wildlife traffickers and consumers of elephant tusks or rhino horn.

An elephant is killed for its ivory every 15 minutes. There are less than 450,000 left in Africa. A rhino is killed for its horn every 8 hours. There are less than 27,000 rhinos left in the world.

Join a Global March for Elephants and Rhinos on October 3rd or 4th 2015 and every year thereafter until the killing stops.Continue reading “Where will the Giants Roam?”