I keep scrolling and looking at pictures of these magnificent animals. They seemed so strong and unbothered, focused on keeping their family whole. As the scroll wheel kept going, I fell into a trance, mindlessly browsing google- until I abruptly stopped. My heart began racing and I froze as I looked at my screen: a fallen elephant, its tusks cut off with neglect. Maybe writing about elephants would not be so bad. I would have the ability to share the naked truth of how they are treated. Generally, the vast population has an idea of what an elephant is but hardly anyone knows them in great depth. Elephants are the largest land animal (as of today) with a noticeably large, but narrow-shaped trunk as an extension of its upper lip and nose. It was developed as an important aid for them to drink water and eat grass; any other adaptation would not have been supported by their substantial size. Their highly coveted ivory tusks begin growing from their jaw as teeth before they fall out and regrow as the famous tusks we know. Part of the family Elephantidae, they are gray to brown in color with massive ears- with a resemblance to the country of India. These colossal animals are herbivores with a diet focused on grasses, fruits and roots. Of the three species of elephants, the biggest and only one to take note of is the African bush elephant, Loxodonta Africana. Due to their sociable nature, elephants roam the savannas in familial herds and live a peaceful life. Studies have shown that they have emotions like those of humans. Joy, grief and rage: all experienced by elephants. They even mourn their dead and go through burial routines to pay tribute. Because of their size and tendency to remain in groups, the wrinkly animals have very few enemies aside from natural predators like lions or hyenas that target those who are young and sick. Although most elephant deaths are naturally occurring, a large number come from human activities. This begs the question: Is hunting elephants a necessary practice or can it be eliminated? For starters, elephants are extremely intelligent creatures. If seen in the sense that elephants are equal to humans, then killing elephants is morally wrong. But who can say what is right or wrong? Who decides that? Different types of animals are killed worldwide for food, and for sport and people do not bat an eye. However, the hunting of elephants can have many detrimental consequences. "If seen in the sense that elephants are equal to humans, then killing elephants is morally wrong. " With the attraction of hunting, people from all over flock to Africa to hunt relentlessly. In the past, white colonists continuously hunted elephants to create room for new settlements, driving the animals to the point of endangerment. This not only hurt elephants, but also other African animals by association. Living in the same ecosystem, each species works with others to create a well-functioning environment. In the brush of the savannas, smaller animals often can't reach waterholes or travel with ease. Due to their large size, when elephants travel the grasslands, they push down the brush and create standing room for other wildlife. Imagine a bulldozer but environmentally friendly, big and gray. That’s what elephants do in their homelands. The flattened brush also results in a reduction of tsetse flies and sleeping sickness. Also, the poaching and hunting of the African animals has been glamourized, leading to increased hunting and them being on the brink of extinction. Trophy hunting is used as a symbol of wealth and success by aristocratic Europeans and Americans. If you have the means and ability to shoot a creature as magnificent as the elephant- you were placed on a pedestal- better than everyone else. It was a widespread belief that proper hunting was “gentleman like” and “humane”, though there is nothing humane about killing these animals for fun. Moreover, their brains are larger at birth compared to a human, with a prolonged childhood and delay of puberty. An elephant's large brain and developmental period influences their evolution of intelligence and how they’ve become the creatures we know today. Photo: Lalibela Game Reserve E L E P H A N T S C O N T I N U E N E X T P A G E
Elephants are a large part of the African economy in more ways than one. Sport hunting and big game hunting, contribute to the economic state of multiple African countries. For instance, Kenya, has relied on the hunting of elephants to fuel their economy and sociocultural activity. Tharaka- a Kenyan county- has soil too dry and uncultivable for cash crops to be planted. As a result, much of the community relies on elephants to make a living. Big game hunters kill elephants in large numbers for both their meat and ivory. Ivory is significantly valuable in multiple economic sectors. There is a sizable market for ivory as it is used for medicine, ornaments, and jewelry worldwide. Kenyans often charge hunters a fee for the ability to hunt, which creates a profit off the industry. Additionally, many Africans can find service jobs helping visitors on their hunts from working as guides or drivers to skinners and dressers, these workers have made the most of their situation and created a steady source of income. Elephants are an important part of the region’s lifestyle, and hunts influenced Kamba society. It grew the region into one of success, frequently traveled for ivory and a prominent trade industry. Furthermore, elephants being hunted reduces the number of elephants roaming in the wild. On average, an African bush elephant can weigh 13,000 pounds or more, nearly 83 times than the typical human male. Their considerable size and human interference in their lives is a poorly written equation for disaster. Elephants live free range but while doing so, will often overrun villages: destroying crops, hurting people and causing distress. By continuing the practice of hunting elephants, numbers will remain low and prevent the demolition caused. Nonetheless, this is not to say that the unrestricted hunting of elephants is necessary; elephants would become extinct, killing all benefits that come with the existence of elephants. By implementing a quota, or limit, on the number of elephants hunted annually, it would only benefit all parties involved. Some may argue there are other measures to be used, contraceptives and relocation, but it can be expensive. There is a lack of government funding to provide these resources, when passing a law to moderate the number of elephants is more feasible. Also, restricting certain areas for hunting would prevent the elimination of these key species from their ecosystem. The smaller animals could still rely on the elephants to clear a path in the grass and contribute to the prevention of disease. Trophy hunting could be pronounced illegal and banned in heavily hunted areas- leaving the only hunting to be done out of necessity, making the most of the killed animal. This way Kenya can still use hunting to fuel its economy. The service jobs could be kept, natives could still profit from the hunting fee, and ivory trade would still be prevalent- though greatly reduced. Allowing hunting limits the number of free-range elephants in human inhabited areas, resulting in a decrease of human-elephant conflict. There would be fewer deaths and more crops could be grown before getting trampled over. This may seem cruel although it is essential. Regardless, elephant hunting is a controversial and complex problem that requires a close look at its ethical, economic, and ecological repercussions. It is a necessary practice, benefiting the economy and society by providing livable incomes and jobs in Africa, but the future of elephant hunting must be heavily thought about, with an understanding of how to maintain these animals for future generations. For a future where the survival of elephants is guaranteed, it is our job to ensure that we strike a balance between human demands and the needs of the natural world. They’ve also been shown to have emotions nearly as keen as humans and a memory to match; how is it ethical to kill such animals, with the same thoughts and feelings as humans? "Sport hunting and big game hunting, contribute to the economic state of multiple African countries. " Photo: Aonang Elephant Sanctuary
"The illegal wildlife trade threatens not only the survival of entire species, such as elephants and rhinos, but also the livelihoods and, often, the very lives of millions of people across Africa who depend on tourism for a living." ~ Yaya Toure A Suffering Soul Adrian K. I glanced at my Amazon watch as I speedwalked to my office. It read: April 3rd, 2023, 5:21 AM. Oh gosh, I’m late again. As I walked through the doors of the monotonous building, I have been working in for the past 7 years, my face began to droop with stress about what will be my next assignment. I was ready to sneak into my cubicle and pretend I’d been there since 5:00 a.m. My plan did not work out so well. Immediately after I entered my office, Mrs. Lindquist, the Senior Editor for Times Magazine, beat me to my office, spinning in the newly cushioned chair I bought. She had been waiting for me for quite some time, as shown by the disappointment in her eyes. Daring to look up at the glare I felt from her, I slowly looked up and accidentally mumbled under my breath- oh lord. She threw my next assignment on my desk and walked out with a dramatic flair. I looked down to see that I had to write about a moral dilemma regarding the unnecessary pain inflicted upon a rhinoceros. Why rhinos? This assignment seemed to be so random and unnecessary, but as I delved a little deeper, I soon realized how self-centered I was acting towards this innocent species. This realization triggered suppressed memories of a personal encounter I had with a rhinoceros. In the year 2005, my family and I traveled to San Diego for a summer vacation. While there, we decided to spend a day at the notorious San Diego Safari. We spent hours strolling around the facility, observing all kinds of species of animals. As our day was almost over, we decided to pass by the rhinoceros enclosure. PROCEED TO NEXT PAGE SHUTTERSHOCK NEWSWEEK
INDEPENDENT UK PROCEED TO NEXT PAGE My 12-year-old self was bottled with excitement to see an animal that I had never even heard of. As I first gazed at this unfamiliar animal, I noticed the color of the rhino was very light gray. The rhinoceros enclosed in the cage was known as a white rhinoceros. As I got a closer look, I noticed the rhino’s horn had been sawed off . The rhinoceros seemed to be lying in a corner of the cage, staring blankly at a thick concrete wall. It almost seemed as if the rhinoceros felt it had no importance in its life. Although this animal wasn’t experiencing any physical pain, it seemed that the rhinoceros was struggling mentally and wished to not live the life that it encountered currently. Connecting my research to my memory, I began to wonder— why are humans doing such an act to this innocent animal? Of course, this was just a hunch that my teenage brain came to rationalize, so I decided to confirm my notion that rhinoceroses prefer to indulge in a lifestyle in a natural habitat over an enclosed area, by googling “Rhinoceros”. Immediately after I clicked images on Google, I was overwhelmed with a large quantity of images of rhinoceroses roaming freely with not a care in the world. Many of the photos included rhinoceroses performing daily tasks such as drinking water, sunbathing, washing, and eating grass. This must be what true happiness feels like— carefree. As I scrolled through the images, I also noticed that the majority of the rhinoceroses had horns that were sharp and in great shape. All these positive photographs of these beautiful animals made me question the validity of the images portrayed online. The sharp contrast between the depressed, dehorned rhino in the zoo and these blissful, wild rhinos in South Africa had me conflicted. My preliminary searches proved my 12-year-old self correct: rhinos do prefer to roam free in their natural habitats. "Rhinos, majestic giants stripped of their grace, locked in cages of concrete and despair, their spirits yearning for the freedom that was stolen from them." - Anonymous
THE NATIONAL "The scary thing is that in my lifetime, 95 percent of the world's rhinos have been killed" ~Mark Carwardine Although the vast majority of the pictures I encountered might be classified as positive, I soon started to run into images of rhinos that were not so comforting. Scrolling down a couple pages, I stumbled upon images that displayed the more realistic and disheartening sides of a rhinoceros' life. The image feed transitioned from the animal peacefully eating grass to a more bloody scene, like a rhinoceros with no horn attached to its body. The image looked as if the horn had been torn off with blunt force, its skin not being able to cover the wound. Shaken by the gore, I looked for other photos. It showed rhinos being bordered into areas that would prohibit poachers from killing these creatures, however, the rhinoceroses didn't appear amused or at ease in their confined condition. This new research has caused me to realize that such a high degree of negative occurrences is constantly blocked from society's point of view. I see why so many rhinoceroses live an enclosed life instead of a free, roaming lifestyle where they were presumably happier when, in fact, they are in constant danger of human exploitation. The dehorned rhino in the zoo wasn’t incurred by the zoo—the horn was poached in the wild. I knew then how to make Editor Lindquist give me a raise. Understanding their anatomy is important for the public to be able to empathize with them. Rhinoceroses, which are found in Asia and Africa, are members of the family Rhinocerotidae. These enormous herbivorous mammals are distinguished by their thick skin, one or two keratin horns, and platelike folds at their shoulders and thighs. Rhinos have three short toes on each foot with large, harsh nails and are nearly hairless besides the tips of their tails and ear fringes. Although there are five species of rhinoceroses, they all contain colors of gray, brown, and black. By having such a neutral skin tone in their habitat, rhinoceroses have been able to blend into shadowy or darker environments. Rhinoceroses are primarily solitary creatures that use dung and urine to mark their territory. The smell of the dung allows the rhinoceros to communicate their dominance to other creatures stepping foot in the region. Sadly, due to widespread poaching for their horns, which are highly prized in traditional Asian medicine, all five species of rhinoceros are in danger of going extinct. One of the only ways to decrease this current situation is through the implementation of animal reservations that contain armed guards. PROCEED TO NEXT PAGE
You can't save the rhino and you can't preserve a culture. Once it's gone, it's over. ~Paul Theroux FUANAFONDNESS In terms of taxonomy, rhinos belong to the perissodactyl order, along with other hoofed animals like horses and tapirs (Odd-Toed Ungulates). While rhinos and horses both have long, powerful legs, they also have a number of anatomical differences. For instance, rhinos have three toes on each foot, whereas horses only have one, and rhinos have thick, armor-like skin that is covered in folds and plates, as opposed to horses' thin, hair-covered skin. In addition, rhinos have a distinctive keratin horn that is unique to them and not shared by any other species. The rhino's closest living relatives are tapirs, who similarly have a prehensile top lip and a rather short, flexible trunk. Tapirs, on the other hand, lack horns and have three toes instead of four on each foot. Rhinos are basically tapirs with horns. Everyone loves tapirs for their cute, floppy snouts and precious eyes, so why can’t these rhinos be just as lovable? Throughout history, animals all over the world have suffered from the involvement of the human race, but what makes it okay? The removal of keratin horn for human gain has yet to be resolved. Why is it okay to destroy a species? What is being done to save these endangered species? There are many reasons why dehorning rhinos is such a hot topic, but the main reason is due to the profit gained when these horns are sold. For years, poachers have been one of the main causes of conflicts involving rhinos. Poachers kill rhinos to obtain the horns, which sell for 20,000 to 40,000 dollars per kilogram. Poachers are such a problem for these delicate animals because the techniques used to extract these horns involve sawing them off, which requires the poachers to cut into the rhino's flesh without any anesthetics. Imagine getting your teeth removed without any numbing involved. I assume that this analogy causes you to cringe from discomfort, yet humans are okay with other species enduring the same pain. Due to this excruciating extraction system, many rhinos end up either severely injured or killed. In the previous decade, studies show that over 9,300 rhinos were killed by poaching. Based on this given data, it can be inferred that poachers exterminating these rhinos for their horns have caused a dangerously large decline in the rhinoceros' species. The horn of a rhino holds many important purposes for the animal. For instance, without horns, rhinoceroses are not able to perform many of their natural behavioral functions, such as defending and protecting territory, protecting calves, and foraging behaviors such as digging for water or breaking branches. Although rhinos can survive without horns when protected and supervised by humans, rhinos without horns in the wild have a smaller likelihood of surviving because their defense mechanism is no longer present. Rhinos' survival will ultimately be dependent on human care if individuals continue to maliciously take their precious horns. But in the wild, this care is not obtainable, leaving the rhinos defenseless. PROCEED TO NEXT PAGE
When the horns of the rhinos are seized, the keratin is comparable to a human fingernail. Although horns and nails are made of the same keratin, these horns hold so much more value to these animals than just a measly human fingernail, which is beyond comprehensible. A better comparison for the horn would be comparing it to a limb. You wouldn’t like it if someone cut your arm off, would you? It would be harder for a rhinoceros to survive without a horn because of how much they depend on it for survival in the wilderness, similar to how we depend so heavily on our arms. By stripping away this vital part of a rhinoceros body, their life is now a lot more difficult because they have to adapt to a hornless lifestyle. Humans took away the only defensive advantage rhinos have over their environment, leaving them bare and vulnerable. Instead of medically dehorning rhinos, a better option that has been around for an extended period of time and should be recognized more is to place these animals into protected sanctuaries. Sanctuaries provide an environment of security for rhinos to thrive in the absence of the threat of illegal poaching. These sanctuaries are frequently monitored by skilled staff who can deploy security measures to discourage poachers while maintaining rhino care. In addition, sanctuaries may participate in conservation measures such as habitat restoration and population management, which can improve rhino survival prospects. Overall, keeping rhinos in sanctuaries protects them from damage, promotes their well-being, and helps to conserve this critically endangered species. Although dehorning a rhino is said to be painless and used as a measure of prevention from poachers, there is still a stub of the horn left behind after extraction which still holds several thousands of dollars in profit. Many conservationists believe that rhino dehorning is a great way to keep poachers from killing the rhinos for their horns. Although this is a reasonable tactic, it still doesn’t prevent poachers from taking the stub that is still left behind. By ethically removing the rhino’s horn, an important part of their body is stripped away leaving them prone to a higher chance of getting killed in natural occurrences. Dehorning rhinos is not morally acceptable, and better methods for protecting rhinos, such as employing wildlife sanctuaries, are recommended. If there were no sanctuaries used to protect rhinos, poachers would have caused all species of rhinoceros to become extinct. Are we going to continue to exploit these creatures for our personal gain, or are we going to preserve these innocent creatures? The horns are not worth the damage to our world’s ecosystem: choose to preserve the rhinos. "We must join forces everywhere to stop the slaughter of elephants and rhinos. They feel pain, they know suffering. We must stop people from buying ivory." ~ Dr. Jane goodall NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
My ulterior motive STRIVING TO SUSTAIN THE ELEPHANT POPULATION BY: JILLIAN L Photo by: Pittsburgh Post- Gazette This internally provoked question pervaded my entire mind; I was met with the realization that elephants are currently unable to survive in their natural habitat, much less wander around and graze through fields. Innocent, helpless elephants' lives are at the hands of selfish, sanctimonious white men. This thought was gnawing at my brain, and I couldn’t seem to find a solution. Cornered to the very edge of my seat, I swiftly scroll through my web page. It was a dreary Tuesday afternoon; the rainstorm had towered over the whole region, and I sat still in my creaky tuxedo brown leather chair contemplating the morality and overall concept of the topic of my assignment. Earlier that afternoon, my senior editor Mrs. Lindquist tasked me with an assignment- I was to write an article on the moral dilemma of inflicting unnecessary pain on elephants and the cruelty behind it. Before Mrs. Lindquist introduced me to the inhumane practice of elephant hunting, I was simply naïve and uneducated on this particular topic. What felt like 5 minutes turned into 45 minutes as I scrambled my fingers on my horizontal, mucky keyboard attempting to educate myself on the various methods and practices of animal trophy hunting. Numerous links bolded with key terms such as “cruel” “trophy” and “inhumane” appeared on my screen as I scoured the internet for assistance on the background, relevance, and incentive on animal trophy hunting. One question conquers my mind, though. What significance or characteristics do elephants hold that allure wealthy white men to hunt and consider them their prized possession?
The historical standpoint Historically, elephants were classified into two distinct species, the African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants. Their kingdom represents animalia, and their genus is Loxodonta; there are three recognized species of elephants: the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), found in South and Southeast Asia, and the African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), found in sub-Saharan Africa. African elephants differ from other elephant species in that they have larger ears, a concave back, more wrinkles, a sloping abdomen, and two fingerlike projections on the tip of their trunks. Smaller ears, a convex or level back, smoother skin, an occasionally sagging horizontal abdomen, and one extension at the tip of the trunk are characteristics of Asian elephants (Blanchfield). In the Asian elephant, the looping ridges on the molars are thinner, whereas in the African elephant, they are more diamond shaped. Moreover, the Asian elephant has some depigmented skin patches and dorsal bumps on its head. I was astounded by the characteristics these fascinating creatures possess. I learned that there are two genetically different African species exist: the savanna elephant and the forest elephant, with several characteristics that differentiate them both. The African savanna elephant is the largest elephant species, while the Asian forest elephant and the African forest elephant are of a comparable, smaller size. These elephants have massive bodies, large tusks, long trunks, and large ears. According to Gale in Context, their different body parts serve different purposes; for instance, their protruding teeth may be utilized to acquire food, lift and move items, defend the elephant's trunk, and even remove bark from trees. They can be utilized for defense as well. Elephants even use their tusks to dig holes to uncover water when there is a drought. Who would have thought these intelligent, harmful animals would be perceived as trophies and gifts? I was met with the agonizing realization that elephants endure a much more traumatic life than I would have ever imagined. The top of my web search page consisted of repetitive, insipid articles on the different types of elephants, their habitats, diets, etc. Two scrolls down directed me to the concept of my topic and exposed me to the inhumane practices and methods of elephant trophy hunting. These social, curious mammals never intend to bring forth harm; therefore, elephants are considered to be one of the world's moth empathic species. I cannot even fathom the idea of inflicting unnecessary pain on our most compassionate creatures. Consequences of the circumstance Rage courses through my veins as I envision the freighting practice notoriously known as trophy hunting. Elephants are neither an iconic tourist attraction nor a prized possession qualified to be hung above a T.V. From my childhood, I obtain patchy memories of traveling- this included going to the beach, capitals, waterparks, and the zoo. I vaguely recall strolling past a field of ginormous creatures that possessed these long trunks and a smooth, but not shiny pearl grey coat. Why do I not have a long trunk too? I wanted to be just like the elephants showcased in the zoo. I sought the ability to smother myself in icky mud and later shower myself in crisp, cooling water. My adolescent self would have never accepted the fact that these animals live in solitary confinement1 used to funnel income and attract tourists. What is the incentive in slaughtering these empathic animals for a sliver of self-pleasure? Robbing these compassionate animals of a life, family, and liberty goes to show that mankind is utterly and completely selfish; this is an indication that we have lost sight of our moral compass. "Animals have a family too. Don't kill them for your fun." -vicharoo Photo by: ABC News
In general, elephant hunting dates back to the 16th century where it primarily served as a tactic of obtaining food, clothing, and resources. In modern society, elephant hunting has transformed into “trophy” huntingthe practice of slaughtering an elephant and hanging them as a gift or prized possession. The various methods of slaughtering these empathic animals are utterly inhumane and completely unjustified. Elephants are not mankind's to exploit; our current society exhausts these animals to the brink of extinction merely for entertainment. Elephant trophy hunting is typically practiced by selfish, wealthy citizens that believe elephant trunks look splendid hanging above theit flat screen TV; however, this practice is completely sadistic. Trophy hunters utilize inhumane and unsporting methods to target elephants and to generate money for the government. For instance, humane society references the NRA Chief’s delineation of trophy hunting; it showcases Lapierre’s botched attempt of killing an elephant and him struggling to follow a guide's instructions for ending the animals suffering. These helpless creatures' lives are at the hands of selfish, conniving men who do not merely shed the amount of compassion they do. This reference exemplifies the blithe depravity of trophy hunting, and unethical acts behind it. Alongside this botched attempt of slaughtering an African elephant for trophy hunting, Fairplanet discusses two controversies regarding elephant trophy hunting. Two of the largest elephants in Botswana were murdered solely to be hung as a prize. This triggers both outrage and exasperation from the extreme ends of the wildlife concentration camps. These compassionate, mindful animals do not serve as a source of entertainment and should not be liquidated just because they are popularly considered “trophies”. This violent form of entertainment has led many types of elephants to extinction; more than half of the elephant population is currently endangered due to our human desires and consumption. While elephant trophy hunting is a violent, barbarous form of entertainment, some may believe that elephant trophy hunting is acceptable. For instance. NRP published an article discussing the ban in Botswana being lifted; apparently, there are thousands of elephants roaming freely around Kasane regularly and they are destroying farmers’ crops and they pose as a serious threat. I was completely furious reading this article; the government decided to lift the ban on elephant trophy hunting because it was what the people wanted. Conforming to society’s selfishly induced desires does not benefit our environment in the slightest, it only inflicts destruction on the habitats and ecosystems around us. Rather than letting the government execute these unlawful acts, we must rid ourselves of the burden of only bringing forth violence and destruction and ignite positive change. I will only push for giving back to these creatures and contributing to making their habitat more sustainable. Although elephants may disrupt land and cause ruckus, their presence dates back centuries before humankind did. There is no reasonable justification as to why these animals should be murdered for entertainment- to the brink of extinction. This goes to show how selfish we are as a society and demonstrates that the lengths we will go to for a modicum of self-pleasure and entertainment is barbaric. Photo by: Discount African Hunts “It doesn't matter to elephants if they are killed by poachers or trophy hunters ... either way, you're a killer.” - Virginia Morell
M o d e r n s o cie t y e v olvin g in t o b a r b a r o u s, s elfis h c r e a t u r e s c o u ple d wit h in c o m p e t e n c e a n d p o o r leadership will only inflict destruction and spark f u r t h e r viole n c e. Ele p h a n t t r o p h y h u n tin g a n d t h e v a rio u s c allo u s m e t h o d s b e hin d it t r uly in dic a t e t h a t o u r s o cie t y h a s lo s t sig h t o f it s m o r al c o m p a s s. Exploiting these empathic animals for a modicum o f s elfple a s u r e is n o t b e n e ficial in t h e slig h t e s t. Inflicting agonizing pain on these animals and rob bin g t h e m o f t h eir h o m e j u s t t o b e c o n sid e r e d a p riz e d p o s s e s sio n is c o m ple t ely in h u m a n e; ele p h a n t t r o p h y h u n tin g a n d t h e v a rio u s p r a c tic e s it e n t ails m u s t b e c o m ple t ely t e r min a t e d. Photo by: Avaaz