Those of us concerned about illegal poaching driving iconic animals to extinction are certainly aware of what's happening in Africa. According to a 2014 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100,000 elephants were killed by poachers between 2010 and 2012. In 2011 one out of every 12 elephants was killed by a poacher. The future looks dim. The problem isn't a lone dentist with a single shot rifle with a.500 Nitro Express cartridge, but Africans carrying AK-47 automatic assault rifles, hired by Africans who sell ivory around the world, despite facing a death penalty summarily enforced. The US is the second biggest market for ivory despite some restrictive and complex laws against the ivory trade that can make it hard to sell a second hand piano.
President Obama has proposed some new, more restrictive laws restricting the sale and ownership of ivory in the US. Can we expect more slick TV ads from shady sources telling us how terrible this is or how Obama is going to take away your soap and grandma's Steinway? Probably, but if you're in the mood to feel protective toward these magnificent, intelligent and vanishing animals you might send a note to your duly elected representatives. Who knows, they may be in a mood to listen.
The link to Obama's new proposals give an error 404 message.
ReplyDeleteSorry - should work now.
DeleteUnfortunately, I own some ivory figurines and a Chinese ivory chess set inherited from my forbearers. They are not of my taste and I can't get rid of them ... meaning no antique or collectable dealer will touch them. So I'm stuck with them.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, I support all proposals to stop the ivory trade and will sign any petition. I tried to communicate my support of conservation to my local representatives, but they are all Republican, and the only response I get is a 666 error message.
One thing we never seem to learn is that it takes more than earnestness to remedy a problem. Trying to stop a trade by destroying a market is difficult, from pornography to drugs to rhinoceros horns, it seems where there's a will, there's a way. I have a few old and a few newer pieces of ivory. Even with antiques, it can be hard to prove age and it seems a bit sad and irrelevant to destroy ancient art to save an elephant that died centuries ago.
DeleteI read last year about some tusks dredged up from a ship that sunk hundreds of years ago. They had to be thrown back. No elephants were saved in that operation. Still, what do you do other than to step up anti-poaching operations and that of course costs money.
I believe that some elephants are being killed by irate farmers because of course elephants are not compatible with agriculture and need huge amounts of food. They will not only destroy crops by villages as well and that's why I'm saying the ultimate demise of the species has mostly to do with "progress" which means increased population and increased demand for agriculture.
I read that there is a non-toxic stain being painted on elephant tusks and rhino horns. The dye spoils the value of the ivory and the rhino horns, but it's problematic. Whether this can be done on a large enough scale, I don't know, but according to the article, tranquilizing the animals places dangerous stress on them. There may be other ways of delivering the stains so that the elephants and rhinos experience the least amount of stress, so they won't be poached for their ivory or horns.
ReplyDeleteI saw that too, but you know, purple ivory looks kinda cool. . .
ReplyDeleteVanity of vanities, here is the ultimate fate of the human species.
ReplyDeleteWe won't be around that long. Not even close and if we or something like us is around even a million years from now we will be unrecognizable evolution being what it is. My bet is extinction and a lot sooner than that since our bloodline seems to have placed all its bets on intelligence and intelligence like ours is questionable as a long term survival adaptation.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile back in the jungle. . .
There is the survival of the fittest thing and I imagine it applies to fitness levels of intelligence as well.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the case may be I suspect humankind may be responsible for its own destruction long before our sun dies.
I'm taking it day by day!
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