Saving African Elephants
Elephant
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Proboscidea
Family: Elephantidae
Types of Elephants
African Elephant
Asian Elephant
What Are the Differences Between
African and Asian Elephants?
African
Elephant
• Heaviest animal
on land
• Males are heavier
than females
(weight is 5,00014,000 lbs.)
• Second tallest in
the animal
kingdom (Height is
~12-14 ft.)
• Height of the
shoulders are
around 8.2 – 13 ft.
Subspecies of African Elephant
Savanna Elephant
(Loxodonta africana africana)
Forest Elephant
(Loxodonta africana cyclotis)
Distribution of African Elephant
Life cycle of African Elephant
Diet
African Elephant:
Characteristics
Elephant Poaching
Africa’s Most Notorious Areas for
Poaching
• Mainly in Central
Africa.
– Kenya
– Tanzania
– Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC)
– Zambia
– Central African
Republic.
Who is Doing the Poaching?
• Poachers come from
all over Africa.
• The military in some
nations.
• The wealthy from all
over the world for
sport.
• Even anti-poaching
guards, or rangers,
have been accused of
poaching.
Why Are They Being Poached?
•
•
Tusks, Meat, and Skin.
Mostly for their tusks.
•
Ivory is used to make a
variety of products for
our entertainment,
beliefs, convenience,
and even alternative
medicine (e.g.
Traditional Chinese
medicine).
Ivory-Based Products
More Ivory-Based Products
Ivory-Based Products
1.4 tons of tusks confiscated for Chinese medicine
"Ivory Removes Bad Spirits"
Religious icons in a Filipino home
In Cebu the word for ivory, garing, also means "religious statue.“
"To be respectful of the Buddha, one should use precious material.
If not ivory then gold. But ivory is more precious."
What is the Incentive?
• It’s all about the money.
• Tusks are “White gold”.
• Black market prices increased from $200/kg to $850/kg
in the past 4 years.
• It’s all being fueled by China’s economic boom.
• In December of 2011, the largest seizure was in Kenya,
where a 2,575-kilogram shipment of 727 pieces of ivory
was discovered in a shipping container en route to Asia.
• Other large seizures included a 1,100-kilogram shipment
in Vietnam and a 2,234-kilogram shipment in China.
Incentive
• $200/kg to $850/kg
• A tusk can weigh over 130 pounds (60 kg) each.
• $200 x 60 = $12,000 and $850 x 60 = $51,000
• From $12,000 to $51,000.
• That’s a $39,000 jump in the black market (assuming
one were to buy an entire tusk at 60 kg).
• 1lb = 0.45 kg
• 2.20 lb = 1 kg
Elephant Numbers Are Dropping
• African elephant population went from 1.3
million to ~625,000 (since the 1970s).
• In 2006, 3,000 elephants were believed to live in
southeastern Chad. Two years later only 1,000
were left. A short while after that, only 500
remained.
• The Kenya Wildlife Service declared that 20,000
elephants are killed every year.
Elephant Numbers Are Dropping
• In Garamba National Park (northeastern corner
of DRC), has had major problems.
– At one point, they had over 20,000 elephants.
– Last year there were around 2,800.
– This past year, only about 2,400 remain.
• A 2009 report from the International Fund for
Animal Welfare estimated that more than 100
African elephants are killed every day.
• IUCN Redlist Status: Vulnerable
What is Being Done to Prevent
Poaching?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Protecting and managing natural
habitats.
Allowing a legal ivory trade system
with strict, limited regulations
(CITES). Although, some disagree
with this.
More funding to help aid rangers.
The organization Save the
Elephants has been involved in
developing a viable alternative to
the sport hunting of elephants.
Pressure world leaders to
increase their focus on combating
the problem.
Reduce conflict between human
and elephant populations.
What is Being Done?
• In southern Africa, four countries (Namibia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa) have
been doing a great job in their conservation
efforts.
• In these nations, the populations are increasing
beyond the caring capacity of the habitat.
Why Are Elephants so Important?
• The presence of African elephants helps to maintain
suitable habitats for a myriad of other species.
• In central African forests, up to 30 percent of tree
species may require elephants to help with dispersal and
germination.
• They play a pivotal role in shaping their habitat because
of the enormous impact they have on factors ranging
from fresh water to forest cover.
What Can You Do?
• Stop purchasing ivory goods!
• Contact your senator and U.S. State Department
about importation of ivory goods.
• Donate to legitimate foundations.
• Come to our art auction and… Spread the word!
WSU Elephant Art Auction
Union Building
Nov. 26 -28
8:30am -3:00 pm