The Linesman

Elephants used to roam Myanmar’s natural forests with impunity. But as their habitats have been encroached upon, wild elephant numbers have fallen from 10,000 to 2,000 over the past 70 years – according to the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

So too, many villagers across the country are forced to compete with the country’s giant pachyderms. Sometimes the elephants trample on farmland and houses in search of food.

The Elephant Project, an international organisation devoted to the protection of elephants around the world, has produced a 30-minute documentary about the ongoing human-elephant conflict in Myanmar. Titled The Linesman, the story focuses on a man called U Khin Maung Gyi who seeks to explore the elephant-human dynamic in southern Myanmar – from illegal poaching in the mountain areas, to the destruction they wreak in the low-lying villages and farms.

When The Elephant Project was founded in 2016, one of its goals was to develop new ideas and solutions to protect elephants around the world.

"But to solve a problem you must first understand it from all sides, which is why we decided to make this film – to help people understand the root causes behind the conflict," Dane Waters, founder and president of The Elephant Project explained to The Myanmar Times.

When they first started working in Myanmar over three years ago, their initial focus was to help elephants transition out of the country’s timber industry to live in more sustainable sanctuaries."But early in our efforts we discovered the magnitude of the human-elephant conflict, and felt that it needed to be addressed," he said.

The organisation’s first response was to invest in electric fences, which were intended to restrict the elephants to particular areas whilst their natural habitats were being restored."They [elephants] primarily come because they need food. They come because their natural habitat has been destroyed due to excessive logging. They come out of necessity," he said.The film crew traveled around the country, with footage being taking from Bago’s Winga Baw Elephant Sanctuary, Kayin State’s teak and rubber plantations, as well as Kalaw Village in the Bago Region.

It took over two years to make the film, as heavy rains restricted access to the elephants during the rainy season. The film crew visited Myanmar on three separate occasions to make sure they had the best footage.

"The villagers try lots of different ways to scare away the elephants, including tractors and other heavy equipment to make loud noises," Dane Waters said. "These are massive animals, and so humans protect themselves by trying to scare them away, by getting as far away as possible from them, or by building fences to help keep them out. But in some cases, out of desperation, they even call in poachers to kill the elephants," he added.

The biggest challenge was trying to get footage of elephants in the wild, especially when they approach the villages. It’s difficult to predict when an elephant will approach your house, so the crew had to wait-out for opportunities to follow or sneak up to the herd. "Elephants are typically only dangerous when they feel threatened. They are not predators and aren’t really that interested in harming humans. They are usually just looking for food. But they are obviously large, so if a person gets too close or gets in the path of a scared or angry elephant, they can kill or hurt someone," he said

."Villagers do fear elephants. This is one of the struggles they face. They don’t want to fear or hate the elephants but when their families and crops are in danger, they naturally begin to feel frightened," he added.

Despite the recent COVID-19 restrictions around the world, The Elephant Project hopes to screen The Linesman in London, Berlin, Tokyo, Taipei, Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC in the coming months. Yangon will also host a special screening event.

"We believe that The Linesman presents an amazing opportunity to raise awareness about the human-elephant conflict, and the ways that people have tried to resolve that conflict – greater education, building fences, habitat restoration, and elephant relocation," he said.

Anyone interested can find out more by visiting https://www.theelephantproject.net/the-linesman-film

Documentary ‘When Lambs Become Lions’ Sheds Light On Elephant Poaching

A great article about a movie that explores the multidimensional aspects of the war against ivory poachers. It highlights one of the key ingredients to ending the senseless and horrific killing of elephants - finding ways to take away the incentive of those who are doing the killing. We encourage all of you to watch it.

Out of the woods

For over a century, elephants were Southeast Asia’s workhorses, used to pull logs razed from their forest homes. But what happens to those elephants when the logging stops?

“Though the Myanmar government is trying hard to find a home for the thousands of unemployed timber elephants, we believe that these camps are not the answer,” Waters told Southeast Asia Globe. “The primary problem with these camps, as is the case in Thailand… is that the elephants are being used for entertainment purposes, which we do not support.”

To read full article click here

Sanctuary plan for Myanmar elephants in captivity

“If nothing is done to provide financial support for these elephants, the government-owned elephants will be put back to work logging elsewhere, be cruelly trained for performance and live a life of begging, or released into the wild to fend for themselves,” says Dane Waters, The Elephant Project founder and president.

To read the full article click here.

Myanmar And The Elephant Project Made History By Signing Agreement For Elephant's Care

The Myanmar government and The Elephant Project signed a new historical agreement that aimed to relocate elephants into a safer place, avoiding human conflicts. It was the first time the country made a settlement for the care of this animal after the government-owned elephants were turned into an attraction and forced to perform in parks, following the ban of raw timber export in 2014.

"We have to take action now," Dane Waters, The Elephant Project founder, and president, said, per the South China Morning Post. The worsening case of deforestation in Myanmar destroys Elephants' habitat, so they are left wandering in villages in search of food. However, their search often leads to human-elephant conflicts that put both parties in danger.  

Read full article here.

Ivory BAN will not be enough to STOP elephant extinction in our lifetime

Sunday Express - AN IVORY ban being pushed through Parliament this week by the Government will not be enough to stop elephants becoming extinct in our lifetime, the founder of a wildlife charity has warned. Dane Waters, who has worked for five Presidential campaigns including for the late Senator John McCain, has founded the Elephant Project which creates sanctuaries across the world for endangered animals.

By DAVID MADDOX, POLITICAL EDITOR

PUBLISHED: Sun, Oct 21, 2018

He claims that 100 elephants are being killed every day for their ivory and the number of deaths has for the first time outpaced the number of baby elephants being born.

While there were 5 million African elephants at the turn of the 20th century and 100,000 Asian elephants, their numbers are now believed to be just 450,000 African elephants and 30,000 Asian elephants.

Speaking to the Sunday Express, Mr Waters praised the UK Ivory Trade Bill, which comes to its report stage in the Lords this week, but he warned that the British ministers need to persuade the Trump administration in the US and the Chinese to change their policies.

Mr Waters, who as a close friend of the late Senator McCain’s has already had rows with President Trump, hit out at the administration’s decision to allow the import of ivory and other elephant trophies and encourage US citizens to go big game hunting in Africa.

He said: “The decision by President Trump to allow for the import of elephant trophies into the United States will increase the senseless killing by big game hunters of this threatened and vulnerable keystone species.

“It also signals to China that the US is abdicating its long-standing commitment to lead the world in elephant protection and conservation.

“This sends a message to China that they are free to not enforce their ban as well as takes pressure off the European Union to act to enact laws to end domestic ivory markets.”

He went on: “Additionally, the Department of Interior under President Trump established the International Wildlife Conservation Council (IWCC).

“The mandate of this Council, whose majority is comprised of trophy hunters or groups that advocate for the hunting of elephants, is to increase awareness of the ‘economic benefits that result from US citizens travelling abroad to hunt.’

“One of the members co-owns a hunting preserve with Trump’s son Don Jr – who is an avid big game hunter and killer of elephants.”

He said that the ivory ban is a “good thing” but “only if it is enforced”.

And he noted that while there is a ban in China it is still the leading black market for ivory goods in the world.

He said: “Enforcement is critical and countries like the US and UK must lead.

“The US has abdicated that role and leadership and so now the UK has the chance to be the world's leader both from a moral and practical standpoint.

“It is also a good way for the UK to thumb their nose to the EU since they are behind in tackling this issue.”

The ivory ban in Britain is meant to be the toughest in the world.

A limited number of items are due to be given exemptions from the ban.

These include items comprised less than 10 per cent ivory by volume and made before 1947, musical instruments made before 1975 and comprised of less than 20 per cent ivory, rare or important items, at least 100 years old, and portrait miniatures painted on thin ivory bases and for commercial activity between accredited museums.

When he launched the bill, environment secretary Michael Gove used it as an example of how Britain would lead the way with tougher animal welfare regulations and laws after Brexit.

He added that the new law would "reaffirm the UK's global leadership on this critical issue, demonstrating our belief that the abhorrent ivory trade should become a thing of the past".

He said: "Ivory should never be seen as a commodity for financial gain or a status symbol."

Elephant Project combines preservation, economics

News Leader - On a quaint street in downtown Fernandina Beach, newcomer and world traveler M. Dane Waters is quietly gearing down from a career as a political consultant to a full-time job devoted to preserving elephants and their habitats half a world away.

Waters recalls two events in his home state of Alabama that would greatly influence this direction in life. He was a child when the Ringling Brothers Circus came to town, and he has never forgotten looking his first elephant in the eye. “I saw them being unloaded from the circus train and I felt this inexplicable bond,” Waters related. “There’s not a single other animal I feel this way about.” As an adult, Ronald Reagan’s presidential campaign came through, and Waters’ first assignment as a volunteer was driving a limo. It was the beginning of a long association with Republican politics that took him to Washington, D.C. and abroad.

Read the rest of the story.

Kristol, Trippi Group Pushes Back Against Trump on Big-Game Hunting Trophies

PJMEDIA -- A bipartisan coalition fighting to save elephants filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Department of Interior in a quest for transparency about the Trump administration's elephant trophy import ban policy reversal.

In a November statement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service argued that the imports from elephant hunts in Zimbabwe and Zambia, backed by the Safari Club International, was in the name of conservation.

“Like us, Zimbabwe, Zambia and other African countries are passionate about conserving their wildlife for future generations. This commitment is shared by the U.S. hunting community that has done so much for the conservation of wildlife here in America and around the world,” said Service Principal Deputy Director Greg Sheehan. “Funds generated by U.S. hunters are the backbone of conservation efforts in Africa, helping combat the scourge of poaching and wildlife trafficking that is threatening Africa’s wildlife. We will continue work to combat heinous wildlife crimes while empowering and incentivizing local communities to be a part of the solution.”

FWS then issued the new rule in the Federal Register: "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has made a finding that the killing of African elephant trophy animals in Zimbabwe, on or after January 21, 2016, and on or before December 31, 2018, will enhance the survival of the African elephant."

After initial outrage, Trump tweeted, "Put big game trophy decision on hold until such time as I review all conservation facts. Under study for years. Will update soon with Secretary Zinke. Thank you!" Trump's sons are big-game hunters who have posed with animals they've slaughtered.

But on March 1, the Interior Department and the Fish and Wildlife Service issued a memorandum on “Withdrawal of Certain Finding for ESA-listed Specific Taken as Sport-hunted trophies." Trophy imports from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia will now be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, as sought by the Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association.

The Elephant Project, which brings together Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol and Democratic strategist Joe Trippi on its advisory board, announced today that their FOIA request asks for "all documents relating to the establishment of the International Wildlife Conservation Council (IWCC), announced on November 8, 2017 by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, and documents relating to the involvement by President Donald J. Trump and members of his family, including Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, in the selection of members of the IWCC and the reversal of the Fish and Wildlife Service policy on importation of elephant trophies."

The IWCC's mission statement says the council would "develop a plan for public engagement and education on the benefits of international hunting" and "recommend removal of barriers to the importation into the United States of legally hunted wildlife."

The Elephant Project notes "strong evidence that the protection of wildlife and the creation of a humane economy of wildlife ecotourism is a far superior conservation strategy that not only benefits elephants and other wildlife, but also can promote stability and prosperity in regions where wildlife is threatened."

The project wants to see if experts who don't view big-game hunting as a conservation strategy were denied membership on the 18-person council.

“Efforts pursued by The Elephant Project to end illegal poaching and wildlife trafficking while fostering a humane economy of ecotourism and research will help bring jobs and prosperity to challenged regions and promote growth and stability," Kristol said today. "Unfortunately, the Trump administration appears more inclined to serve the interests of the big game trophy-hunting lobby and Trump family associates rather than threatened wildlife species and U.S. national security interests.”

Trippi called it "deeply disappointing to see the Trump administration sanction the senseless slaughter of animals."

"The vast majority of Americans — Republicans, Democrats and independents alike — oppose big-game trophy hunting of elephants and lions," Trippi added. "The administration should respect the will of the American people and protect these majestic animals."

The Elephant Project founder Dane Waters stressed that "the protection of elephants and other threatened wildlife is a test of moral leadership and character."

"With these proposed policy changes, the current administration is failing that test," Waters said.