Rock engraving Namibia Elephants in Botswana
The intention with my 'E' is for Elephant presentation was to give an entertaining insight into the lives of (mostly African) elephants, without dwelling on the doom and gloom aspect. Sadly though, there is a great deal of that with poaching escalating out of hand.
There are many organisations trying to deal with poaching, but as well as enforcing laws to protect elephants, people all over the world must become aware of the reason for the killing. Unless everyone realises that elephants are being killed for the sake of a trinket (which is all an ivory carving is after all), the slaughter will continue. It needs a sea change of attitudes and mindsets so that all human-beings can respect other-beings with whom we share this planet. Perhaps if there were more role models in Asian countries (where most of the demand for these trinkets are) of people willing to stand up and speak on behalf of elephants, then the younger generation will become aware that this must stop.
I started my presentation saying that when we learn the alphabet as children, very often 'E' is for Elephant, which is why I think most people have a love for elephants from a very young age. I hope the day doesn't come when alphabet posters, picture books, photographs and films are the only places where we will see elephants. Will the alphabet have to be changed to 'E' was for Elephant? What will children in the future think of us then and what have humans come to if we allow this to happen?
As stated in the Talk Topics page, 100% of proceeds from this presentation were forwarded to The Born Free Foundation to go towards the Mount Elgon Elephant Monitoring project (MEEM). Mount Elgon is a unique and special place in Kenya on the border with Uganda. Elephants visit caves there to obtain salt and other minerals from the rocks. I had the great privilege of going into this cave on a Grand Elephant Safari with Ian Redmond in 1996. For further details of this magical place and to see Ian Redmond's amazing photographs of elephants in the caves, click on this link: www.bornfree.org.uk/animals/african-elephants/projects/mt-elgon/elgon-elephants/
To adopt an elephant through Born Free Foundation, go to: https://give.bornfree.org.uk/adopt/elephant
To sign petitions against the ivory trade click on these links: www.bloodyivory.org/ www.iworry.org Watch the video on this website!
An excellent article in defence of elephants: www.markdeeble.wordpress.com/2014/05/04/elephants-why-bother/
As Virginia McKenna OBE (founder and trustee of the Born Free Foundation) says:
"Elephants are living treasures. Nature's gardeners. Nature's great teachers. Tragically some people don't give a damn. They prefer the dead treasure to the living one. The ivory. We must challenge this so-called 'trade' with all our might and shame on those who would condone it."
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