Science and conservation politics have finally agreed that Africa is home to two elephant species: the savanna and forest elephant. The debate lasted about two decades, with the politics of elephant conservation and the ivory trade delaying the decision, but the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has finally concluded its evaluation. Africa’s most […]
Two miniature sculptures sold on eBay in December 2020: a tiny egg with a chick hatching through the shell, and an intricately carved man in traditional Japanese dress with a rat perched on his shoulder. The egg sold for $195 and the figure for $1,345. But there’s a problem. Both objects are made from a […]
Although importing ivory to the U.S. has banned since the 1989 moratorium, there is a legal exception; sport-hunted trophies. The legal loophole permits Americans to shoot elephants and import the ivory into the USA. And it isn’t just the ivory. Safari hunters bring back elehant hide and the leather makes belts, ladies purses & gun […]
Poachers have killed at least six elephants in a single day in Ethiopia, wildlife officials said on Tuesday, the largest such slaughter in memory in the east African nation. The elephants died last week, when they ventured out of the Mago National Park in the far south of Ethiopia to drink water, Ganabul Bulmi, the […]
No one needs ivory but the animal born with it. Humans do not need an elephants’ tusks or the horn of a rhino. Yet, they feel entitled to it, and they go to devastating lengths to acquire it. The ivory trade operates because of hunters and poachers who brutally kill elephants in the wild for […]
As of four years ago, about 100 elephants were poached each day for their ivory. As long as elephants are killed for their tusks, they will face the threat of extinction. The rate of poaching exceeds the growth rate of the elephant population. Japan has the world’s largest legal ivory market. However, two years ago, […]
US zoos now plan to import baby elephants from Zimbabwe, undeterred by the international furore over their 2016 import of 18 wild elephants from Swaziland. The US Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) media liaison, Rob Vernon, has confirmed “knowledge of a possible (elephant) import by AZA members and others,” but denied knowledge of which […]
A hunter who shot dead a majestic elephant from close range, turned and ran away when the animal’s herd started charging towards him. In the distressing footage a man can be seen taking aim as the herd of young and old elephants walk by. Another man can be heard saying: “Hit it between the eyes.” […]