Magnificent Monday: Conservation. Sept 5th

Conservation: What can we do?

Photo Courtesy SOS Elephants of Chad.

Sad and shocking isn't it!

That such a wonderful huge elephant, one of God's great creatures is killed for its teeth to make ivory chopsticks, seals and carvings; mere trinkets for demanding Asian buyers. Chinese and Vietnamese backed criminal syndicates are ruthlessly raping wildlife in many parts of the world, endangering species such as African elephants, rhino, lions, and many other animals such as Asia's tiger.

Check out the extent of the problem at these links-

ivory and chinese.

china-consumerism-latest-threat-to-africas-elephants-report.

"People are being killed in the field trying to kill elephants, government officers are being killed as well by poachers, this trade is encouraging massive corruption in Africa and people are being bribed and removed in order to get the stuff out of the continent and over to China," Martin said.

Will elephant, rhino, lion, and tiger exist in the wild in a decade?

Drugged by poachers, this Asian rhino

 survived only a few days even with treatment. 

Rising affluence in Asia, particularly China, ensures a growing market and demand for ivory, pushing up prices, and encouraging corruption. And not just ivory; the growth of Traditional Chinese Medicine is causing  rhino killings in Africa and Asia at an alarming rate. Poaching for their horns threatens their survival as a species. Tigers are critically endangered in Asia because of CTM demand for body parts; now Africa's lion parts are on-sold from 'canned hunting' as a substitute, fuelling profitable returns for this disgraceful industry that should be totally banned. Lions were estimated to number 200,000 in the 1970's, now down to less than 20,000 throughout Africa.

Poaching needs to be urgently addressed by a multi national approach. Completely banning the ivory trade is a start. Kenya recently burnt 5 tons of ivory to send a message that ivory is useless except as teeth in a living elephant, and that the ivory trade should be totally banned. BBC News

 For this to happen China needs to crackdown on its ivory trade and its cultural ideals need to change. Chinese Traditional Medicine needs to accept rhino horn has no more medicinal value than toenail parings! 

Meantime I have joined the Jim McIntosh inspired ''Ban Travel to China" movement.

Anybody else can join - it's free. Just take the pledge and blog it to spread the word and save an elephant or rhino from destruction. Stuff China - plenty of other places to travel.

Human encroachment on wild areas is another cause of falling wildlife numbers.

That extra land comes at the cost of diminishing wilderness, putting pressure on animal numbers as they are pushed into ever decreasing areas. Closer human contact spreads domestic animal diseases to wildlife.

How do we protect wildlife, and at the same time find more land for the growing human population  to farm, or raise crops for their existence?

Many organisations are dedicated to solving human-wildlife conflict by educating local communities to change their attitudes to what they see as merely pests, crop marauders or meat on the hoof. New strategies are being developed: chili peppers inter planted with crops; bee hives along fence lines; introducing Kangal dogs as sheepdogs for Namibian farmers.
And of course, my pet project, Elephant-Human Relations Aid, EHRA in Namibia build rock wall water-point protection. I have volunteered twice.

Just a few ideas, and organisations needing support and funding to carry out badly needed conservation work within local communities.

This is how I want to see elephants. Photo by J McIntosh. Chobe National Park.

What can I do?

* Supporting Chobe Wildlife Rescue financially and by promoting them through Social Media.

* I have re-newed our adoption subscription at N/a'an Kuse' for Lilly the African Painted Dog.

N/a'an Kuse' are establishing a re-introduction to the wild program for these critically endangered Wild Dogs.

Our adopted baby ele Turkwell, at left.

* I have just re-newed our baby elephant adoption subscriptions at  sheldrickwildlifetrust.org . Check this important wildlife conservation organisation out. Not only do they rescue and rehabilitate elephant calves after their mothers have been killed by poachers, but they operate within the community to encourage locals to value and protect Africa's diminishing wildlife. However with Asian demand for ivory pushing prices sky-high, some locals will be tempted to value a quick dollar over protecting an elephant.

* Holes In My Soles will become more centred on wildlife preservation.

I'll not just be writing about our travels, but also publicising organisations at the coalface of wildlife conservation. This will better reflect my passion, and my style of travelling.

*My future travels will continue to be a mix of volunteer and wildlife experience.

Galapagos Islands is next.

How can travellers help?

*Avoid buying anything made of ivory.

*Don't buy fur or exotic hide clothing or footwear. Snake or lizard skin for example.

*Avoid indulging in cultural practices that exploit wildlife. Think about that fresh snake blood drink you macho'ed on in Vietnam. Visit an elephant sanctuary instead of taking that elephant safari in Cambodia or Nepal.

*Join a wildlife volunteer project as your next travel experience.

*Highlight these issues by writing about them to encourage discussion and spreading of awareness.

*Value all wildlife as precious gifts to share this planet with.
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Magnificent Monday: Conservation. Sept 5th

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