World Elephant Day

World Elephant Day

 

It’s World Elephant Day. 96 elephants will die today. One dies every 15 minutes every day. Mothers massacred and butchered in front of their little ones who are then left orphaned and helpless, doomed to die a slow death. Any adult or subadult survivors traumatized for life – elephants are extremely sensitive, bonded to each and every member of their herd and of course we all know they never forget. Do you know why it is so easy for poachers to massacre a whole herd? Because the elephants’ instinct is to protect one another so they rarely run away when the first one falls.

All this so that a greedy few can get their meaningless ivory trinkets to flaunt as a status symbol. Sorry, flaunting stuff made out of murdered animals’ teeth is not going to impress anyone that possesses more than half a brain cell – it’s gross and selfish. A few other criminals make an unbelievably huge profit margin off this trade. Denying all the rest of us and our future generations of our heritage. Elephant poaching is not a thing of the past, it is thriving and is picking up at a horrific rate. Because we let it be like that. Think it is solely a problem in Africa and Asia? Think again. Pressure our governments to stop facilitating this despicable trade. Ban ivory imports and enforce these bans (most of the time they are just a farce)! Stop the demand! Say no to ivory!

Meanwhile you can help by donating to one of the most inspiring and reputable organizations around – The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. They work tirelessly to rehabilitate elephants orphaned by poaching, and afterwards they reintroduce them back into the wild to live free like they are meant to. That is nothing short of remarkable. Sadly the rate they are taking in the orphans is always increasing, in line with the poaching trends. They desperately need our help. Will you step up?