ELEPHANT
The African elephant from the savannahs and dry woodlands of Africa. Endangered status due to elephant populations devastated by years of poaching for their valuable ivory tusks and meat, habitat loss and young elephant calves falling prey to lions.
Since 1990 a ban on the international trade on ivory was implemented, but there has been a shocking resurgence of poaching, for the growing market in Asia.
One Elephant is killed every 15 minutes. At this rate within 10 years there will remain no wild Elephants.
For up to date reading on the drastic effects of poaching elephants in Africa go to www.biglifeafrica.org.
The illegal trading of ivory is worth 12 billion a year, it’s the 4th largest illegal trade in the world. The massive illegal trade in ivory combines cross border poaching, weapons proliferation and regional insecurity, threatening the stability of governments therefore a profound threat to national security. The trade is becoming more widespread, dangerous and organised. Crime syndicates are increasingly involved through their well-established networks. Networks are broken down into 5 categories’ starting with the local poverty driven poacher, next the local courier, then the national facilitator, onto the national exporter and last the received ivory into the consumer country. In some African countries it’s reported that the armies are dealing in the trade.
The biggest challenge is to educate the population from within Africa and Asia to the fact that hacking off the horn often results in death to the species.There is no scientific proof to the medical benefits of powdered horn to ward of cancer, reduce heat and fever in a body, or work as a hangover cure for the new wealth of the minority Asian elite using it as a mixer in drinks.
Donate to the International Poaching Foundation.
Damien Mander, a former sniper in the Australian Special Forces founded IAPF in 2009. A passionate wildlife warrior he used his life savings to fund the start up costs. Damien was determined to use his military skills on the frontline of animal suffering – the illegal poaching of endangered elephants and rhinos in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
IAPF is a direct action law enforcement organisation dedicated to decelerate the widespread poaching until governments can intervene themselves with more resources, tougher regulations and penalties for poachers. IAPF offers African rangers training, education, the latest tactics, equipment and standard operational procedures.
Bored with your job!! Volunteer to become a green army member. No previous experience required, you’d be providing on the ground assistance and become integrated into the lifestyle of an anti-poaching ranger.Donate as little as $40.00 Aust for new boots for rangers or up to $500.00 buys 5 vials to dart and rescue 5 elephants caught in snares. See website for more details.
PROTECT Natures PROTECTORS. Protecting the park rangers on the front line of conservation in Africa and Asia.
Donate/volunteer with The Thin Green Line
Founded in 2004 by Australian Park Ranger, conservationist and filmmaker Sean Willmore.
Over the last 10 years it is estimated that over 1,000 park rangers have been killed and of that 80% by armed militia groups and commercial poachers of elephant and rhino horn.
The Thin Green Line provides the rangers with the skills and tools to defend themselves on the front line whilst protecting endangered species. The rangers families and communities are supported if rangers are injured or killed whilst on duty. The Thin Green Line provides security camps and medical assistance to rangers as well as uniforms and patrol equipment etc.
Donate,adopt or become a foster parent with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org.
Founded by Dame Daphne Sheldrick in Kenya in 1977 in memory of her late husband,David, the naturalist and founder warden of Kenya's Tsavo National Park. Dame Sheldricks pioneering work was instrumental in identifying the husbandry and milk formula required by orphaned elephants to survive. Since 1987 the trust has successfully hand reared over 135 orphaned elephants and 14 black rhinos through a network of foster parents and dedicated team of keepers. The rescue and hand rearing of orphaned elephants is with the hope to one day rehabilitate them back into the wild. The trust also manages anti-poaching teams, mobile veterinary units and runs community programs.The community programs help to improve living conditions of local communities and raise education standards by encouraging the next generation of local peoples to protect their wildlife and environment.
Donate to Traffic
Established in 1976 Traffic is a global network monitoring the wildlife trade. Website has to date information on the illegal trade in elephant and rhino horn. Traffic is research driven and action orientated creating educational awareness campaigns worldwide.
Adopt an elephant with Care for the Wild
An international charity that works through safe guarding animals against hunters, poachers and other threats so species can still live in their wild habitats. They also campaign against animal abuses through educating people to wildlife conservation and provide rehabilitation for rescued animals. The charity have re-introduced 60 previously injured or lost, orphaned elephants into the wild. The group support anti-poaching and elephant conservation work in Tsavo East National Park in Kenya and throughout Africa.
Adopt 2 elephants to choose from: ‘Kamboyo’ 6 month old orphan when found alone. ‘Makena’. 7 weeks old when separated from its mother. There are 2 choices of adoption packs from as little as 24.95 pounds and the bumper elephant pack at 49.95 pounds. Plus P&P. For this you receive a colour pic of your adopted elephant, soft elephant toy, story book, elephant poo notebook, fact sheet, and a progress update after 6 months.
Donate to Black Mambas
The Black Mamba APU was founded in 2013 by Transfrontier Africa and created to protect the Olifants West Region of Balule Nature Reserve and has since expanded to cover the entire Balule area, 400km². The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit is the first of its kind, being that the majority of our teams are women. They currently deployed 26 Black Mambas and a further 23 armed guards that operate within Balule and along its boundaries.
Adopt a baby elephant with Animal Works
A not for profit Australian Association that works with partners around the world to conserve wildlife. One of the causes Animal Works supports is the Wildlife Trust of India’s orphanage in Assam where 12 young elephants need help to rehabilitate back into the wild. You can feed a baby elephant milk for $10 a day, or adopt an elephant for $75 for 1 year and $195 for 3 years.
Animal Works is led by two women- Tammie Matson a zoologist and author and artist Nafisa Naomi. Ms Matson is working with Animal Media Aust on the documentary ‘Elephant Wars’. She has spent over a decade working on threatened species in Africa and has advised on human-elephant conflict mitigation in Africa and India.
Donate to African Wildlife Foundation
Saving the habitat is at the core of AWF Conservation efforts. Covering large areas of land that span borders and can cover entire countries; these areas harbour critical biodiversity and offer local people economic opportunities. The AWF trains rangers and works with local communities on how best to share their land alongside endangered animals. AWF work with governments, organizations and communities offering education, training in sustainable agriculture and ecotourism.
AWF also monitor endangered animal populations, support anti-poaching units and nature corridors, create animal sanctuaries, eco-tourism lodges, support conservation and the relocation of species.
Volunteer or donate with Earthwatch
The organisation Earthwatch recruits paying volunteers from all over the world to work alongside conservation scientists.
You can volunteer on an 11 day expedition to help researchers monitor behaviour and range of elephants in the Kenyan savannah or you can also make a donation to support conservation research with Earthwatch.