OUR BLOG
Like at the beginning of every new year, unless you are Nostradamus, what lies ahead is unknown. 2021 will undoubtedly be filled with unknowns. But here at The Elephant Project, we believe that this New Year brings with it hope that has not been seen since World Wars consumed our planet – hope that the destruction and devastation will end, and that renewal and rebuilding will follow. Hope that the worst is behind us.
All is fair in love and war. Sometimes a bit of sensationalism is necessary to strengthen support of a message as significant as this. Who better than a band of robust young women in combat fatigues, sporting firearms to reel in an audience? Except this is not another Hollywood tale of make believe. The Akashinga group, which translate to ‘The Brave Ones’ is comprised of sixteen women who have come together to stop poachers by force.
The journey to protect elephants is a journey filled with challenges but challenges that can be overcome through the continued efforts of the groups and individuals committed to elephant protection and conservation. We continue to do what we can by working on several fronts both domestically and internationally but a major focus of our organizational efforts continues to be helping Myanmar’s elephants through various projects in the country.
There is so much amazing work being done around the world to help protect elephants but let’s do what we can in our own backyard to help their efforts. Let’s get Congress to act now by passing legislation to end the Trump Administration’s support for the slaughter of elephants and return the protections that have been supported for decades by Presidents of both political parties. Elephant protection should not be a partisan issue - saving them is a testament to our humanity.
What do elephants mean to you? Maybe they’re a symbol of a different culture. Or a physical representation of benevolence, peace, and wisdom. They may symbolize the delicate balance between gentleness and brutality, having the amazing ability to be so tender and kind while also being capable of causing mass destruction.
The elephants’ dangerous situation is caused by human beings, not only the killer, but also the public. In China, the issue of animal protection is hard to get attention, but ….
This is the personal narrative of 19 year old Amber Zhou who lives in China and who has seen first-hand what are the challenges to elephant protection in her country.
An elephant’s worth is like everything in life – it is worth more to some than others. So how do you value an elephant? Do you see elephants as intrinsically valuable, intelligent and majestic in their own right? Do you base an elephant’s value on how much someone is willing to pay for one? How much someone is willing to pay to see one? To kill one?
The stories from Myanmar are endless and the voices never cease. But if you multiply that by all those in other countries who have a personal narrative to tell about elephants – whether from seeing them in a timber camp, in the wild in Africa or Asia, on the streets in Bangkok, in tourist camps or know of their plight through their government or private sector experience or from learning of them from the news, documentaries or social media – the number of stories is simply incalculable. Every story, and every experience is a critical piece in solving the puzzle to finally ending the struggle facing these animals - but only if those stories become voices.
Once governments in elephant range countries, like Nigeria, embrace the benefits of establishing a humane economy – which is simply an economy that thrives on saving and protecting wildlife and not destroying it - people will see the value of saving elephants and the senseless killing will be greatly diminished. The results of building a humane economy will include growth in jobs, eco-tourism, tax revenue, international recognition and support, and greater safety and security within their borders and the continent as a whole. Not only is saving elephants a moral imperative, the facts are clear that saving an elephant has a greater positive fiscal impact to a country than allowing for their senseless killing.
I am a believer in direct democracy and its ability to empower the people. I have seen how animal welfare advocates have used direct democracy to unite people at the ballot box. I am a believer in the protection of animals as well and particularly elephants. I feel strongly that saving this majestic, iconic, keystone species is a testament to our humanity and if we fail, then, in my opinion, we have failed as humans – and I am not alone in those beliefs.
