Photo Credit to Gregory Colbert
Why should we care?
ELEPHANTS HAVE A RIGHT
Ivory poaching is inhumane, these animals need their tusks for daily needs. Not to mention, in order to obtain the tusks of the elephants, they most likely need to be killed. Elephants or no animal for that matter should be killed legally. Also, when we think about sharing lands with these animals and how our needs for a habitat are more important than theirs, we should stop to think that these animals were here first and if their habitat are changed they cannot just take a plane and move to another part of the world. If those in Africa or Asia are faced with sharing lands with these elephants, they should find some way in order for them to live as well as the elephants to live in peace without any violent poaching or domestic use which are abuse to these animals. THE LONG RUN
Lastly, Asian elephant more specifically, most of the animals which are being poached for there ivory are males. If these actions continues the breed of Asian elephant will die out, or there will be an uneven ratio of sexes in this breed. (PBS.org, 1997 The Poaching Problem). This will also lead to low-breeding rates because of inbreeding since all of the older and younger males with tusks have be eliminated. |
WHAT CAN WE DO?
The idea that the African elephant might not exist by the time many in their 20's have grandchildren is a scary thought. These creatures are beautiful, intelligent and harmless if not bothered. Elephants, both African and Asian, have the right to be protected from their endangerment. They share this Earth with us and if we have a right to protection, so should they. Ivory poaching, habitat destruction and manual labor abuse at the rate which it is going will eventually kill out the African and Asian elephant breed. Personally, I believe if we all put effort into organizations that support the protection of elephants, such as the World Wildlife Fund, we may not be able to put an end but we can reduce the numbers of elephant deaths and the rate at which these elephants are dying. |