Africa to Cull (slaughter) Elephants {help stop it!}

Consider it done, Mandi.

Thanks Bob!

Ummm... Why? Just out of interest. If there might be overpopulation issues, or human development encroachment, removing part of the population is a common wildlife management step?

Which group have bigger members, elephants or lawyers?

I think rather than hunting the elephants, they can use them for transportation.

thanks for sharing.

Hmmm... well that's not right - these idiots are refusing to consider capture as an option? What is up with that?!?!

Unfortunately there are more elephants in the national reserves than there is space or food. At 14,000 plus elephants and climbing the population is already suffering a shortage of forage and increased risk of disease. The alternative to culling some of the herd is to watch those same animals die of starvation and sickness.

But the issue is even more complex. By boxing elephants into fenced reserves, the process of migration that regulates both elephant birth patterns and consumption of vegetation is stymied. So while reserves allow a safe place for elephants, they also create an unnatural elephant sociology.

For some takes on this problem see this article from National Geographic at National Geographic elephant culling article

and the video on elephant populations at HowstuffWorks... Elephant culling video at Reuters

!. It is NOT Africa that is going to kill Elephants, it is a country at the tip of the continent called South Africa.

2. What good would it do for Americans to sign a petition and presen it to the South African Government?

3. We have no dog in that fight. If they want to kill Their Elephants they have the right to do just that.

4. I read nothing about Why they were going to hunt and kill the animals. There could be a good reason.

It is a sad affair whether or not it is needed.

Like many other topics this one is not black and white.

All agree there needs to be something done about the elephant population for the good of the elephants, the other species that live in that habitat and the environment.

Currently there is a "response" period from interested parties.

Even the animal rights people agree that sometimes culling is necessary but only after they have exhausted other more humane measures such as reducing the fertility of the animals.

I don't believe this is a "shoot for trophy" effort.

I also agree with Jerri — a sad affair regardless of the reason though many say much more humane than illness and starvation that would be nature's solution.

So sad.

Poor elephants. They are one of my favorite animals.

Americans don't care about the butcher of humans in Africa so not much hope they will care for elephants.

It doesn't seem to be our fight here in the US, Mandi, although I applaud your concern for innocent life--meanwhile back in the US of A, Cheney's about to shoot him some wolves--how does everyone feel about that?

Oh my goodness Mandi, it seems futile signing petitions but I did.
I think that these people need to do something about the elephants
other than killing them off, but what I have not a clue.

I will check it out.

I have read on this subject. I don't like it either. But, this is an issue with over population of elephants, competition between elephants and man, danger issues for the human beings living in the areas, and as I understood what I read, it was not going to be allowed in a hunting way, for trophys, etc. This is not really our issue, although it breaks my heart to see it happening. But the truth of this issue is that since the moratorium on killing elephants went into effect years ago, the population has grown. Their food sources have become strained and it is not unusual for a rogue elephant to run rampant through a village killing people and tearing it apart.

There are no simple answers but I am not sure that any petition would do any good. South Africa isn't known for being open to influence by the American citizens, no matter how well-intentioned.

I pray for the elephants but also for the people suffering.

Jude, and here in Europe they shoot Ibexes for sport. You can hunt Cougars, polar bears, oh heck a long list that I forget at the moment but was appalled at the site offering the "HUNTING" tours!

And, we do care about South Africa. The rebels can, and will, kill us for helping. The elephants cannot fire a gun!

I is so sad to see such a magnificent animal in danger but it is much worse to see an animal starve to death. The land can only support so many of them.

Killing them is the easy way out. I think a better way than killing them would be to figure the natural death rate and sterilize all but the number of females needed to maintain the population that the land will support.

Great share , I went in and signed and the signed the tree one as well.

Humans have already created hell on earth for elephants---this planet just ain't big enough for both of us species, evidently---well, at least they won't have to put up with us any more. Closer to home, now that the good guys finally brought the wolf back to Yellowstone, our beloved, glorious president (actually, he ain't mine) gave the gun-happy great white hunters carte blanche to slaughter all our wolf brothers they want, and apparently there's nothing anyone can do about it. Well they're nothing but a menace anyway, right? There are those of us who won't be satisfied till the only non-human species on this planet are "food animals", house cats and pit bulls. Kinda makes you proud to be human, doesn't it?

Interesting comments above, so if mankind gets overpopulated, we start shooting an elect few? I guess we could start with the old folks, or maybe the invalids, yeah thats it. Instead of trying to find a solution, we kill.

I signed the petition and added my semi-informed comments. I hope it helps. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'm going to see if I can spread the word a little too. Thanks again, Mandi.

Thank you, Mandi, for letting us know about the petition! 10!

I signed it, but South Africa is going to do what they want to do regardless of what we think.

thanks, I will.

I read about this and just can't figure out how it is happening. Thank you for the link, Mandi.

Mandi - I agree it is sad, but I recently spoke to someone who was on one of the reserves and she explained why it had to be done. The elephants learn from their elders where the water, food and migration routes are. They are a very social and intelligent animal - very tightknit within their family groups. By capturing and transplanting members of various herds they break the learning pattern and leave unrelated elephants, uninformed in an unknown area where they starve and die - which is what they were trying to save them from by moving them.
She explained that it was a very painful realization that to "save" the elephants the herd had to be culled, not relocated. I was a long and very detailed explanation of all that was tried before this solution was reached. Otherwise I would sign this petition. Knowing what I know, I cannot.

This is not about poaching, it is about culling, for purposes that have been described above. It is sad but must be done sometimes.

Mandi, I did a photo article and put this article lead in it. Thank you for posting this

sad

this is horrible, i signed too

I signed the petition. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Doesn't anyone care about the little animals too?
I think if we were to build a two foot high mesh fence that tilted inward all across the coast of Norway, humans could still step over it, but the Lemmings couldn't get over it (because of it tilting inward) and so could not throw themselves into the sea when they get into that frenzy to destroy themselves.
That would save a lot of innocent Lemmings.
Or maybe we could inject them with something that diminished their eyesight since it is the spotting of more lemmings than normal in the spring that causes the frenzy.
We'd also have to supply grain for the increased population. But it is worth it, as they are cute.

DON'T SIGN UNLESS YOU ARE PROPERLY INFORMED

I find it quite scary that intelligent people as yourselves will sign any random petition that comes your way without actually thinking about the consequences, or investigating the matter at hand. please read some scientific articles from peer reviewed journals before you even contemplate entering this arena. I would never sign a petition about for example economic policies (which is not my area of expertise) without first investigating. IF you read all the articles and science and then come to the conclusion that culling is not required then by all means sign the petition (i somehow doubt you will), how many of you sign petitions against global warming daily? do you believe the IPCC scientists? Then you should believe our scientists here too, it may be Africa- but we also have A-rated scientists, and the best elephant experts in the world have been working on this. To those of you who have investigated, and are informed, TG there are other thinking people out there, I was beginning to wander what the education system in "so called developed" countries was doing to people's thought processes.
I refer to some of my comments below:


Yes it is emotional, that is why it has taken a number of years with intense debate to come to this decision. Contraceptives don't work because it destroys the social behaviour of the elephant group, for example the males don't understand why the females don't fall pregnant and they get continually harassed. It is also extremely expensive and has to be done more than once to an elephant. Imagine doing that to a couple of thousand elies. not feasible. Moving elephants, gets done on a regular basis, unfortunately on numerous occasions elies have just found there way back to Kruger for example at the cost of thousands and more to tax payers. many countries in Africa cannot take our ellies because of a variety of reasons, rampant poaching, wars, political turmoil, those that could have there own elephant populations, they need large areas, so you cant just dump them in small reserves either...the list goes on. For those that think the argument that expense shouldn't come into the equation, then rather sign a petition to our Finance Minister Trevor Manual to increase the conservation budget- good luck with that as we have rampant poverty- housing, health and education are first on our agenda.

This is not a senseless exercise being done for fun, no one wants to do it, but we don't have a choice. We (humans) created the problem of fencing animals into small areas; we have to deal with the problem now. What is the problem? The huge numbers of elephants are destroying entire ecosystems, trees in these savannas are disappearing, and species are becoming endangered by extinction because of the problem. SA is a signatory to the Convention of Biological Diversity; we have committed to protect all our diversity, not just elephants. As usual everyone is getting emotional because its one of the "big n furry's"... this is a scientific debate that has been debated ad nausium, if you don't understand the science of conservation please refrain from commenting you are just fuelling a fire that is making scientists jobs more difficult. There is nothing senseless about this decision. Furthermore, South Africa is one of the leading countries in conservation, with the best environmental laws in the world, the only country with a committed institute that works solely on biodiversity issues from a government level, I think we know what we are doing, thanks for all the comments though it does make life interesting. Regards..

ps. i challenge any of you to run population carrying capacity models on any of SA's parks and see what conclusion you come to (don't know how to do that? then I would rest my case)

Feeling very semi-informed after reading the comments, but more so than I was before. Complicated world.

Done. Thanks Mandi.

Thank you for the information. I just signed.

Done thanks for letting us know

I would point out the disaster of NOT culling. The Tsavo elephant incident is one of the reason why the only responsible answer to any wildlife management issue is just that: Management. Look at the pronghorn antelope in the american rockies. Shrinking habitats due to man's incroaching urban sprawl lower the natural number a certain area can support animals in truly "wild" conditions. This is just what happened with the American Pronghorn. Man's sprawl pushed them into a smaller and smaller range while the numbers of the animals remained the same. This has caused near irrepairable damage to both the habitat and to the whole ecosystem. Culling was the only answer to maintain the numbers of animals which can realistically live free in the available habitat.
We know as humans that overcrowding leads to disease, pestilence and social problems. Animals are not so different. We, as the top of the whole global food chain would be irresponsible to allow any species of animal to over populate an area causing this known and well documented chain reaction of suffering and potential catastrophic destruction of life. Better to die a quick humane death by a licensed and monitored hunter than to die a slow miserable death at the hands of hunger, disease and lack of habitat.

Hopefully, culling will be done humanely. It is awful to think of elephants being slaughtered without some control.

Hello :o),

I just wanted to stop by since I am finally going through what is now listed as under 4,700 pieces of gather new mail that is sitting in my inbox on here.

With that mentioned I just came across either a mailing from you yourself, or someone else brought this piece to my attention. You or they felt that your creation should be shared with the gather community, which I am very glad that it was passed on to me to view. So I wanted to say Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to publish it here on gather for us to all view. :o)

As well before I leave you I wanted to wish you a Happy New Year... in 2009 :o)

Good evening. I am the pot of gold fairy. Dropping by to leave you some good luck, comments and raise your points level just little so that we can all reach our goal faster! Happy Friday the 13th!

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