Saving African Elephants Elephant Taxonomy Kingdom Animalia Phylum

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) 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). • 1 lb = 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 1970 s). • 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: 30 am -3: 00 pm