Beijing |

What attracts humans to elephants? Their enormous size? For me personally, I am sucked into the magic that surrounds them. When in the presence of an elephant, the air appears to be purer and you can feel a pulse throbbing beneath your feet. A vibration of vitality engulfs my very being and I turn into an awestruck and lovesick fan of theirs. There is a peacefulness and goodness so overwhelming, that when they turn and amble off, they steal another chunk of my pounding heart. These sentient beings are creatures of the bush: they capture the very essence of nature.

I feel sad and angry at what humans are doing to these animals and I always nod vigorously when asked if I think that elephants are aware of what is happening to their species. Now, I am certainly no expert on elephants and do not pretend to be. However I am passionate about them and deep within my core, I know that they are aware of the continual attack that is threatening their very existence. Sadly, they have no where to run and are being crushed under the heels of supposed civilization. Now is the time to listen: and the time to act.

When left alone elephants are the picture of serenity. They are as old as time and have allowed humans a breathtaking glimpse into their world and sharing with us their compassion and intelligence. As the days fade like passing shadows, more and more elephants are being poached in such alarming numbers that the frightening word ‘EXTINCTION’ rears it’s ugly head. Their rhythm of life is rudely and savagely broken and their tusks are torn from their faces to be carved and fashioned into trinkets for us humans.

These animals when left alone, are long lived and large-brained. Researcher Joyce Poole has spent many years in the field trying to crack the ‘elephant code.’ Through her research, she has found that elephants use more than 70 kinds of vocal sounds and 160 different tactile and visual signals, gestures and expressions while communicating in their day to day lives. What we as humans can’t hear, has always been there, and we are now more aware of the elephants rather sophisticated way of connecting with each other. AND, they are the only beings in the world who do not need a telephone to make a ‘TRUNK CALL’. To read and learn more about these different vocal and non vocal communications, immerse yourself into their world for a few minutes.

Some of the latest research is now showing that elephants have a separate alarm call to warn the herd about the presence of ‘US’. Humans, sadly are their only enemy and poachers have proved to be a ruthless adversary.

Let us please, not continue to drift through the days like trees without roots. Let us hear their calls, listen to their cries and take heed. We, as humans have the ability to stop this violence against our elephants, rhinos and other wildlife. Let us take heed of ‘the elephant calls.’ (My poem.. Hear our calls)

1979 – The elephant population was 1.3 million.

2014 – We see a figure of 500 000 being bandied about. How long will these soulful animals leave their footprints on the sand when a 100 are being slaughtered per day? Are elephants being poached faster than they can breed. One elephant every 15 minutes is being slaughtered for its personal treasure ‘white gold’. In layman’s terms: they are being slaughtered for their incisors. What sort of society are we a part of? Tragically, the illegal wildlife trade is enormous. Annually £12 billion ($20 billion US) worth of ill gotten gains is butchered from these sentient (my poem) creatures leaving the putrefying stench of rotting flesh in their wake. WHAT FOR?

95% of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s forests are devoid of elephants.’ What for? I know, I am repeating myself. Sadly what collectors call ‘white gold’ represents wealth and nobleness for the Chinese people. What does a tragic misconception like this mean to the elephants? DEATH. The lust for ivory that puts Chinese people in a class of their own is for these charismatic creatures, a death warrant. The bush, the elephants home has become a battlefield, and they are often slaughtered in the cruelest and most primitive ways.

Despite the global ban in 1989, the illegal ivory business is flourishing. Beijing’s ‘elephant graveyard’ shows how China is still in the driving seat, and these people hold the destiny of the African elephants in their hands. Hot on China’s heels is the USA who have now implemented a ban on commercial ivory which I hope will set a precedent for other countries to follow.

Hong Kong is a key transit point for ivory and other illegal wildlife entering from Africa on route to destinations which include Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia. Hong Kong has however declared it is in the forefront in the fight to halt the ivory trade, and has shown it’s support by announcing it will destroy 28 tonnes of seized ivory. This is all good news for elephants?

The ‘blood ivory’ trade has reached such alarming proportions that Governments from around the globe are being urged to go into ‘battle’ against the illegal trade. Prince Charles and Prince William hosted a two day summit in London last week which was attended by decision makers from 46 countries. I joined the throng of animal lovers outside to show our relief and support that this positive action had brought so many countries together.

Now, as an animal/elephant lover and as a responsible custodian of our wildlife, I want action, and we want it now before it is too late. I am hoping that this landmark agreement to halt wildlife trafficking is just a beginning. With so few elephants remaining, it is a fight we all need to concentrate on. Once these sentient beings are gone, they are gone. For those who can afford to buy ivory, take that money and go and visit the last few remaining countries where these magnificent creatures roam. Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe: to and see them in the wild and fall in love with them. You too can become a voice for the voiceless as we change our outlook on ivory. Fighting wildlife crime can no longer be viewed in isolation: some of it is linked to terrorism, which is funded by ‘blood ivory’. In many instances, it has become a case of killing elephants to fund killing people. To me, it all seems a little obscene.

You as a consumer, a thinking consumer can decide the fate of these soulful creatures: it is as easy as the choice TO BUY or NOT TO BUY. As a consumer of ivory, your demand for the product is responsible for not only the death of elephants, but also the collapse of elephant society brought on by extensive poaching. Elephants transmit elephant cultures from one generation to the next. Echoes of harmony are quickly lost as survivors of poaching incidents are left traumatised and rudderless. Elephants are close knit and emotional creatures with strong family bonds. What we see in behavioral patterns with elephants after a ‘genocide’ is frighteningly close to how humans react. Let us not be the ones who destroy this magnificent species.

Beijing

CALL OF THE ELEPHANTS

DRIVING THE ELEPHANT TO EXTINCTION?