Major article on elephant poaching: a must read for elephant fans

DavidBrown

DavidBrown

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Here is a major article on African elephant poaching, the ivory trade, and what is driving it. It seems that American tax dollars are likely being used to subsidize some of the poaching. Hopefully we can stop that part of it. Closing down the illegal ivory trade in China seems looks to be the major challenge in bringing it under control.

If you want to live in a world with wild elephants then I highly recommend reading this article to get an understanding of what is going on with the threats facing them:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/w...ghtered-in-poaching-frenzy.html?smid=pl-share
 
Thank for posting this.

I read it in its entirety. It is a sad state of affairs, but there are many other problems at play here that Westerners are too PC to state. The mentality of people in developing countries is difficult for Westerners to understand. I am not surprised at Africans' and Chinese' attitude towards wildlife, because of their attitude towards their own people. Human life has little value, in countries where villagers are raped, mutilated and/or murdered en masse, or millions are allowed to die by starvation: why should they treat animals any better?

The only language 3rd worlders understand is the language of punishment - and I don't mean 'Fifty Shades of Grey' punishment. I mean poachers need to be shot on sight more regularly, and ivory trafficking in China must be outlawed and punishable by death.
 
New website that is central clearing house for information on African elephant poaching. It is put together by Iain Douglas-Hamilton and his colleagues: Elephants In Peril

This map of the elephant densities in Africa may be of particular interest:
Elephants In Peril
 
I love those maps. Well, to be more accurate, I find those maps comparing present ranges to former ranges to be quite depressing as it really sinks home how we have destroyed the planet. The tiger and lion maps are especially sobering.
 
DavidBrown said:
New NY Times piece from a woman assessing Central African governance systems (or absence thereof). Her take is that only by shutting down demand can the ivory trade be brought under control: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/21/opinion/elephants-dying-for-ivory.html?_r=1
Click to expand...

Another idealistic Western-written article that seems more concerned for the slaughtered poachers than the slaughtered elephants. In addition, it rehashes the pie-in-the-sky wish of "curbing the demand" without suggesting methods of actually curbing the demand - talk about stating the obvious.

Is the NY Times hard-up for articles? I expected better from a well-respected newspaper and a postdoc from UCB.
 
Louisa Lombard: A very strange message indeed.
"Antipoachers demonize poachers.": No attempt to figure out who exactly these poachers are she is sympathizing with.
No attempt to search for a solution to the problem of ivory trade but dismissing the efforts made by others as doomed to fail.
"Curbing the demand of ivory" only stated as goal without contributing ideas how to achieve it, sounds simply naive.

To try to influence religions via their religious leadership, or draw flagships like the famous Chinese basketball star to spread the message, may bring a little bit of hope.
 
DavidBrown said:
The October 2012 National Geographic has a cover story on the "Blood Ivory" trade, the current major driver of poaching apparently: Ivory Worship - Pictures, More From National Geographic Magazine
Click to expand...

I just received the latest issue in the mail and the article devotes a lot of space to the fact that many of the illegally poached ivory tusks are carved into religious objects. To be brutally honest the article paints an extremely bleak future for elephants.
 
Boy, am I disappointed.

I was hoping to find out where to find a saucepan big enough for the job.
 
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