World Elephant Day

World Elephant Day

Today is World Elephant Day, when people with a passion for pachyderms come together to celebrate the wonder of elephants and raise funds to protect them.

It seems paradoxical that the largest land animal, which symbolizes strength and sagacity, is so vulnerable across the globe, especially in Africa and Asia.

The numbers of elephant are dwindling as human activities and expanding agriculture squeeze elephants into smaller  patches of fragmented habitat.

Even where the habitat remains, the elephants are hunted by criminal gangs for their front teeth, for their meat and for their babies that are being beaten into submission for a life of servitude in entertainment, temple ceremonies or tourist attractions, despite legal protection.

And in spite of all these, elephants like every other species are suffering as climate change raises average temperatures, disrupts rainfall patterns and brings more drought and extreme weather events.

Why should we care for the survival of these elephants?

A glance through the literature of organisations dedicated to saving elephants gives a clear idea of why people care about elephants. We find their size impressive; their improbable shape and sometimes comical behaviour endear them to children; their matriarchal society and cognitive capacity fascinate us; their ability to suffer and show compassion strikes an empathic chord in us; and they are high on the list of “must-see” animals on wildlife-watching holidays in Africa and Asia, so they bring in tourist revenues.

Apart from generating revenues as tourist attractions, the elephants also help in stabilising the climate.

Elephants, because of their size, appetite and migratory habits, help in dispersing seeds of more species further than any other animal. Tree species with small seeds such as figs can have them dispersed by birds, fruit bats, antelope, etc. Species with large seeds, such as mangoes and durian, need big animals such as apes and elephants to disperse them, sowing the seeds of the trees of tomorrow.

Their dung is important, too, as fertiliser.

An adult elephant produces about one tonne of first-class organic manure every week. Germination and seedling survival are much higher for seeds given such a good start in life. This is why ecologists refer to elephants as mega-gardeners of the forest.

The current wave of ivory poaching is killing some 30,000 African elephants a year. This is a tragic loss to the surviving members of each elephant’s family, and to the potential revenues from tourism, but think of the ecological impact. Think of the loss of soil fertility of 30,000 fewer tonnes of manure a week and millions of seeds not dispersed.

Before the advent of modern firearms, it is thought there were some 10 million elephants across Africa. Even the most optimistic estimates today put the figure at under half a million. We have already lost 95% of the workforce of the forest and Savannah. This is why majority of the countries with natural elephant populations are calling for an end to the ivory trade everywhere. 

Lets protect the elephants.

Source: The Guardian (UK)

NAHIMAT