Elephant Carers: Angels in Disguise

This week i've been basically venting out on how humans have caused quite disarray in the elephant world. There are however a special breed of people who don't fit in this group and its only because they have decided that they aren't going to stand and watch as a species so special is wiped away. 

I've been going over and over in my mind on how i wanted this article to be. What words would i use to sum up the efforts done by so many people around the world who like me are passionate for these creatures? What would i say that has not yet been said about them? Truly, what can i say about people who put aside their fear, bundle up courage and daily go on the battle field to take care of these animals? I have always admired wildlife rangers. Now these people really bring to life Eleanor Roosevelt's words, " You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face..." I admire how in the face of danger they don't give up until the work is done. These are the men and women who in the face of elephants, are the true heroes and heroines.

Another group of people who i think deserve immense gratitude are those who establish elephant sanctuaries for the protection and care of these animals. I can point out a few and the first that comes to mind is the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust that is focused on not only the protection but of the preservation of endangered species, in particular elephants and black rhinos. Within the sanctuary is an elephant nursery where rescued orphan baby elephants are cared for until they are of age to be released back to the wild herds of Tsavo National Park.

I cannot fail to mention not for profit organisations such as WWF (World Wildlife Fund) and AWF (African Wildlife Foundation) that have contributed immensely to the conservation of wildlife with a focus on endangered species such as elephants. These organisations have not only helped in gathering resources and financing projects that protect these species but have been at the forefront of every action and have done so in best practice.

These and many other organisations the world over selflessly offer their time, effort and money to the protection of these species. Sometimes their works bear fruit, sometimes not. They are resilient and do not give up for they know that they cannot rest until the plight of wildlife is no longer hopeless. I salute them. They are indeed, angels in disguise. :)

Humans vs Asian Elephants: Squatters In Their Own Land

Yesterday i spoke a lot about the plight of the African elephant. The Asian elephant is no different. However, they have had it way rough in terms of space. The tropical side of Asia where these elephants live has been severely encroached by the human population that is ever increasing. In fact, according to WWF, about 20% of the world's population lives near or in range of the Asian elephant.

Worse still, the national parks habouring these animals are too small to accommodate the elephant populations. This has led to serious conflicts that have led to the unfortunate death of about 300 people each year in this region. Incidents of elephants raiding farms have been on the increase causing loss to lives and property. But can we really blame them? Isn't there a way out of this mess? Some countries have developed systems where people are compensated for their loss. This however doesn't solve the problem, it just postpones it. The real issue is looking us in the eye, we just have to face it.

Poaching and illegal trade is rampant in this area mostly because elephant meat is delicacy in parts of India. Male elephants are the victims in this story. They are the bearers of the precious ivory. This has drastically affected the male population and could with time affect the entire population when there will no longer be any males to breed with the females. Sadly, both the farmer and poacher are responsible for their deaths in equal measure. Farmers in a fit of retaliation have been said to often help poachers to kill these animals. However, there is little that can be done about this since the control of this trade does not lie within Asian states. And unless the problem is addressed from the source, these animals will continue to die.

Another problem facing Asian elephants and not experienced by the African elephant is illegal
captivity. This has been attributed to the timber and tourist industry in areas such as Myanmar. These elephants are forcefully captured resulting in death and injury. This number amounts to 30% of the population.This is a big blow to this population that in time may be rendered extinct. Many organisations including WWF are in the forefront of ensuring these animals are protected and conserved. However, they cannot do it alone.

We are the elephants voice but until we stop acting like the victim and acknowledge that we are in fact the villain, we can't stop this! They are running out of not only space but time! We owe it to them to try. Are we game?

Humans vs the African Elephant: Losing the Environmental Caretaker

Yesterday, i spoke on how conflict between humans and elephants has caused an unprecedented number of deaths that in the first place could have been avoided. Today am focusing on the conflict between the African elephant and well, Africans.

The African elephant used to roam free and wild. This came to an abrupt stop when humans began to 'interact' with them. This interaction led to two things: the elephants running away and the humans taking their land. This is the ongoing trend, however, these animals don't have a place of refuge. Naturally, elephants love to roam, its in-born so sharing isn't really an option. They require to feed almost endlessly daily and this cannot be possible if humans are around. Its been reported that elephants have learned to differentiate a Maasai herder from another human being. In fact, in Amboseli where this occurred, the elephants ran away at the sound of these men approaching them. Yes, this may be because they are intelligent but it does not change the fact...they know danger when they see it, or in this case, hear it.

This is just one of many cases. As i pointed out in a previous post, elephants enjoy bananas and rice. Occasionally, due to this human encroachment issue, they would go into farms and basically tear up the place. This is a common occurrence in Central Kenya. Do we blame them? Do we actually think elephants would do this unless prompted?  Since we are encroaching on their land, isn't it fair that we at least acknowledge we are wrong and do something about it? I'll leave you to answer that.

Organisations the world over are determined to find ways of keeping elephants at bay. Is this working? Yes. The only problem is, some people have taken matters into their own hands and are using very inhumane ways to 'chase' these animals from their farms. These practices are killing them. Am i getting through to anyone? If you've seen this kind of treatment, what would you do? I know am asking too many questions but maybe that's what we need to hear. Maybe we also need to hear what elephants do for us? Would this change our mind?

Elephants are a key stone species mostly because they create and maintain the ecosystems they live in making it possible for other plant and animal species to live in those environments too.This same ecosystem is what we humans rely on for our needs. Could i make this point any clearer? Elephants need us and we need them. Period. The order in which that happens is entirely up to us. Do we need them first or do they need us first? This shades light on the chicken and egg question, doesn't it?

We need to help protect these species. Hard pill to swallow? Well, maybe when we realise that we need them more than they need us we'll put this into perspective. Sorry today's blog sounds like the diary of a mad conservationist, but who said the truth is all colour, its black and white. I rest my case.

Elephants vs Humans: Two Wars, One Battle

In my last post, i highlighted the many things that an elephant is and how close it comes to being 'human'. However, seeing as humans are elephants primary predators, where does this need to hunt them down come from?

These are among the many questions that conservationists have tried to answer for a long time. Is it greed that drives a man to search for wealth and riches even if it means doing away with another living thing? Is this battle any different than that which happens everyday in Iraq? Allow me to go biblical here, but is the heart of a man so wicked it will kill another to get ahead? Isn't this what's happening to these animals?

Now that i've posed enough questions for you to ponder about. Let me give you a few facts on just how real this battle is. As the World 'celebrated' World Elephants Day in August last year, these creatures had little to celebrate. This is why:

1. Elephant numbers dropped by 62% in the last decade.
2. Approximately 100 elephants are killed every day in Africa by poachers for ivory, meat and body parts.
3. The rising 'need' for ivory in the Asian markets has caused the death of tens of thousands of African elephants.
4. The price for ivory in China tripled between 2010 and 2014, driving poachers to do more active killing.
5.  Both female and male elephants are killed for their tusks therefore leaving behind a large number of orphaned calves and destabilising their societies. Their is however, a bigger decline in adult male elephants.

There are two different wars going on between elephants and humans. These wars however all have one purpose, that is the battle for power and control.The war that results in poaching is very well documented as it involves instant death statistics. However, the other war, the war for space though not as mentioned, has caused a bigger conflict. Humans are increasing in number everyday, and to sustain such a population means encroachment on wildlife habitats to turn them into farmlands and other developments. And because elephants are accustomed to living in vast lands, they are the worst hit by this problem.

The encounter between African elephants and humans is a little different between that of their Asian cousins. Asian elephants have been domesticated for thousands of years and most of them have come to rely on humans whilst African elephants who have roamed free all through have only come into contact with humans as a result of habitat encroachment.This however has not lessened the blow for the Asian species for they too have been adversely affected.

No matter the circumstances, the conflict between elephants and humans is a battle that is causing the rising depletion of one of the most intelligent and magnificent creatures ever created. There's no time to waste, we must act fast to save them. Will you join me and many others in the battle front?

The Elephant's Intelligence: Why They Are No Less 'Human'

In yesterday's post i talked about how the elephant never forgets, well, today we'll be talking about why this is. Research has proven that elephants are among the most intelligent animals alive. Some of those myths we saw yesterday may prove this true. For example, why do you think they bury their dead?

Little elephants in trunk greeting

Elephants have the largest brain of all land animals with a mass of about 5 kgs! In fact, they have as many neurons as a human brain! This gives them the ability to show human-like behaviours such as showing compassion, using tools, memory, learning, playing, language and cooperation. The fact that they are empathetic and emotional creatures supports these facts. Many times you might notice how elephants show emotion through caressing and doing a trunk greeting. Their altruistic nature has proven that they are selfless animals who look out for others other than themselves. There have been reported cases of elephants coming to the aid of distressed animals and humans too!

Elephant playing in water!

Elephants have also been known to return to waterholes that are hundreds of kilometres apart year after year! I mentioned too how they can remember people even after years of not seeing them! More so, elephants are ranked together with dolphins in problem solving abilities. A story is told of Asian elephants that stuff their bells with clay so they can sneak off to banana fields at night without being heard! Witty, ha? It is no doubt then that the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle thought greatly of these animals. He is quoted as saying this about elephants, 'the animal that surpasses all others in wit and mind'.

Elephants studying bones of a deceased

Elephants have been known to self-medicate by chewing on leaves  of a tree. This is mostly done by females to induce labour! Talk about being their own doctors! :) An even stranger thing these animals do is when one of their own is injured. They try to nurse and feed them until nothing more can be done. They don't give up easily and refuse to leave their sides even to the death! They then proceed to bury them and some have been seen standing next near the deceased for hours, a sign of mourning! They are often reported cases of elephants showing a keen interest in the bones of a deceased elephant even if they are unrelated.

An elephant playing football

An elephant looking in the mirror

Elephants are known to use their trunks as tools. Whether its removing the bark of a tree or digging a hole to drink water, they usually just know where and how to do it! They have also been known to mimic sounds they hear some of them human-like! Elephants like to play! These unique animals have been trained to play football and basketball too more so that its even played as a sport! Plus, like i previously pointed out, they like to play in the mud as well! These and the fact that they can recognise themselves in the mirror is a sight for sore eyes! :)

Ruby painting

Am sure you have also seen a video recently of an elephant painting another elephant! This elephant, Ruby gained recognition in the internet sparking a lot of interest as an artist! They say she chooses her own colours, holds the paint brushes in her trunk and proceeds to paint! If that doesn't awe you, i don't know what will! These creatures are downright amazing! They say, 'give credit where credit is due'. Right? :)


Upon reading all these amazing things about these animals, do you think in the sense of things, they're any less 'human'? Don't you have a little more respect for them? Perhaps this has been an eye-opener for you. Wouldn't you want to save them now, I know i would. :)

Elephant Myths: Facts or Fables?

We all have heard several myths about these big beasts...but have you ever considered if they were actually true or not...well, let's find out, shall we?

1. Elephants love peanuts:
Am going to take you back to your cartoon watching days...do you recall when you saw an elephant being fed peanuts in Donald Duck? Well, that elephant may have liked eating them but the real ones sure don't... In fact, peanuts are too small to sustain such a big animal.So this myth is debunked!

                                              2. Elephants never forget:
Indeed they don't! Elephants can recall their migratory patterns and the domesticated ones have been known to remember their trainers after years of absence!


3. Elephants are afraid of mice:
Now this again takes us back to those cartoons... These animals are giant-like, why would a tiny animal scare it really?

4. Elephants grieve for their dead:
This i must say is surprising, but yes, they have been known to bury their dead brothers and actually grieve. In fact, there are reported cases of elephants burying humans too. Now isn't that something?

5. Elephants sleep standing up:
Their feet have soft tissues that act as 'cushion pads' which help them uphold their weight, and yes, even when they sleep!


6. Elephants can't jump:
As sure as rain, these animals, even if they wished to, cannot jump!

7. Elephants walk silently:
Yes, despite their heavy bodies, elephants actually walk on their toes and so don't make any noise! They have been compared to ballerina dancers...they are that agile!


8. Elephants are too heavy to swim:
So not true! The best elephant past time is to swim and well, they are good at it too! They use their trunk as a snorkel to breath!

9. Elephants are lumbering creatures:
You know that saying, 'looks can be deceiving'...well, that relates very well to an elephant. Yes, they are known to tear apart trees with their trunks. However, with the same trunk...they can lift up a straw or even an egg and may i add, delicately! :)

10. Elephants can recognise themselves in the mirror:
Yes indeed! These together with orangutans, gorillas and dolphins!

These myths however don't beat the forklore stories told in some of our African tribes...i have read a few of them and well, i'll leave it to you to do a little more reading on that. :)

The Asian Elephant: Sacred But Exploited

If you have seen the Asian elephant, most probably you saw it in a movie or documentary. And if you were like me, you possibly imagined yourself riding it. Am i right? :)

The Sri Lankan Elephant

I think my first encounter with this beautiful animal was in the movie, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Ring any bells? Well..having done a bit of research, i found that the elephant was Tai and plays 'Rosie' in her first major film appearance in Water for Elephants. She is now 46 years old. Now that you are familiar with this famous elephant, let me introduce you to her kind.

Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are the largest animals in Asia and as i pointed out yesterday, are slightly smaller than their African cousins. These animals once widespread all over Asia are now found in South East Asia. They are listed as Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with less than 50,000 remaining. Many of these elephants are domesticated and have been for thousands of years. Those in the wild however, face the likelihood of extinction as a result of poaching and habitat destruction.

The Sumatran Elephant

The Asian elephant is a highly sacred animal and is the pinnacle of the Asian culture. It has been worshipped for centuries and is still today used for ceremonial and religious purposes. It has smaller ears than its African brother with a curved back and a single 'finger' on the upper lip of its trunk. It's dark greyish brown in colour with patches of pink on its forehead, ears, base of trunk and chest. These elephants live in tropical, semi-deciduous and evergreen forests and feed on grass, trees and woody plants. They however favour bananas, rice and sugarcane and always need to be near a source of water. Male elephants weigh up to 5 tonnes and stand at 11 feet while the females weigh up to 3 tonnes and stand at 8 feet. Their only primary predator is the tiger which hunts the calves rather than the adults. Other than humans hunting them down for ivory, they usually live up to 60 years. In captivity, they have been known to live up to 80 years!

The Indian Elephant

The Asian elephant has three sub-species. These are the Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus maximus), the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) and the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus). The Sri Lankan elephant is the largest and darkest of the three with distinct patches of depigmentation on its skin. It is listed as Endangered with a population of up to 4000. The Sumatran elephant is the smallest of the three with a lighter shade. It is listed as Critically Endangered with a population of less than 3000. The Indian elephant is the most populous and known species. It is highly valuable in the Indian culture and is listed as Endangered with a population of about 25000.

The Borneo Pygmy Elephant

Another species called the Borneo Pygmy elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis) lives in Borneo with a population of about 1500. Studies are still being done to determine it as a sub species. These are the smallest and well, cutest of the elephants, at a height of less than 2.5 metres (8 feet). Apart from their 'baby faces', they have oversized ears, plump bellies and a tail they sometimes drag around! They are also more gentle-natured than the rest of their brothers.

Well, there's much more to say about these magnificent creatures but i have stop there. As you can see, they are highly valuable to their respective regions yet highly exploited. The irony, right?
There's much we can do for these animals to ensure they live to see another day. We just have to know what. I think am doing something, are you? :)

The African Elephant: A Gentle Giant

Now this is my most exciting post yet.. maybe its because its makes me feel closer to home. Truth is though..its just a privilege to write about this magnificent creature.

 Let's begin, shall we?

African Bush Elephant

The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) as you may all be aware is the largest land animal on earth beating its Asian cousin by a significant margin. The male elephants weigh between 4 and 7 tonnes and are 10 to 13 feet in height while the females weigh between 2 and 4 tonnes and stand at 7-9 feet. In fact, the largest elephant that ever lived weighed about 11,000 kgs standing at 13 feet! It was however shot in Angola in 1956.

There are two sub-species of the African elephant; the African Bush elephant (Loxodonta africana africana) and the African Forest elephant (Loxodonta africana cyclotis). These species are brownish grey in colour and are found in 37 countries in Africa within the Eastern, Central, Southern and West Africa regions. Bush elephants are larger than forest elephants and their tusks curve outwards. Forest elephants are darker and their tusks are downward pointing. The bush elephants live in the grassy plains of the continent while the forest elephants live in the equatorial forests of western and central Africa. Bush elephants live together in large groups while forest elephants live and travel in smaller groups. 

African Forest Elephant

As I previously pointed out, the African elephant has ears that are larger in size than their Asian counterpart shaped distinctly like the African continent. It also has a concave back and is less hairy than the Asian elephant. Both the male and female species have tusks. This is not the case for the Asian elephants where females do not have tusks. They have two finger-like features at the end of their trunk that they use to grab items unlike their Asian cousins who have one. They also have four toes on their fore feet and five toes on their hind feet. African elephants are not as easily domesticated as their Asian brothers but prefer to roam freely in the Sub-Saharan.

Adult African elephants have been known to live between 40 and 70 years. The longest surviving individual however lived to 82 years! They are peaceful animals but can be rather dangerous when provoked! They enjoy swimming and fancy a good mud bath. :) Bull elephants usually leave the herd at puberty (14 years) and join up with other male elephants. They usually only return to mate. These species are voracious herbivores consuming grass, tender shoots and barks of trees whilst drinking over 200 litres of water in a single session! The largest concentrations of these animals are now found in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

With an approximate population of 470,000 remaining, African elephants continue to diminish in most countries. However, despite their reduced numbers, there is still hope for these creatures in the Southern Africa states where they continue to thrive under a secure environment.

Elephant Habitats: Room to Roam

Some of you may have had the privilege of seeing these great animals in their natural habitat. Let's say for example in the Tsavo. And am sure you being there made you feel almost pea-size compared to the vast lands.

Well, elephants need a lot of space and hence they dwell in vast areas. Interestingly, these animals aren't picky when it comes to location...as far as the place has plenty of food and water! They however being grazers prefer a place with plenty of grass.

Elephants can live about anywhere from grasslands to desert savannas, forest areas, swamps and everything in between! I cannot stress this point farther...they need plenty of food to feed their mega-size bodies as well as plenty of room to roam! Sadly, the biggest threat besides poaching to these creatures is habitat destruction. If we only knew how much space meant to them...we would be at the forefront of saving their land! What's even sadder is that elephants living in captivity undergo quite a bit of stress because their nature drives them to want to roam freely.However, we still do appreciate zoos that keep these animals and try to give them as ample space as possible.

It is said that when elephants are able to roam in their natural habitat, help clear away plants and trees so that new kinds of vegetation can grow. This clearly helps us understand their 'destructive' behaviour, doesn't it? And since elephants don't have any natural predators apart from humans, they only usually die from old age or illness. When these animals move from their habitats, the only way they can thrive is if they find plenty of food supply.

Nevertheless, one thing that has enabled these creatures to survive is that they were made with the intelligence to move on from their present habitats when the need arose. They would then find new habitats in order to continue to survive.

Indeed God takes care of His creatures, what does this then tell us about caring for them?

More next week fellow readers :)

Of Mummy and Her Calves

I absolutely adore babies! And baby elephants are no exception... :)

Elephant mums to me are the most caring and 'long-suffering' mothers in the wild. Studies have shown that elephants are not only social but are believed to be emotional. I guess that's why elephants have the longest gestation period of 22 months! In human terms, its like having two separate babies in a row! This sadly is not a good thing as far as poaching is concerned. At the moment, the elephant is a vulnerable species and each year, the rope tightens for these precious animals.

Needless to say, calves are born over 90 kilos, three feet tall, hairy with long tails and a very short trunk! They, just like human babies are totally dependent on their mums and members of the herd for survival. Calves feed on their mother's milk and stick close to them until they are about two to three years old. Baby elephants spend their days learning how to make all four legs go in the same direction, practice their ear flaring and master control on their trunks. Like any human baby learning to walk, calves are very clumsy learners but get the hang of it in time.They are also very playful and friendly, oblivious to the dangers of the world. :)

Baby elephants are initially born blind but recognises its mother by touch, smell and sound. A mother usually appoints a baby sitter to care for her calf so that she has more time to look for food and provide sufficient milk. Babies drink up to 10 litres of milk a day! And they continue to drink milk up to 10 years old! Interestingly, 99% of calves are born at night! 

Due to their long gestation period, elephants only have one calf every four years. They are therefore very protective of their babies and shield them from predators such as lions and hyenas. Other females from the herd also protect these calves and walk in their pace until they are old enough. Elephants as shown are very loving and close knit.

I admire the work by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust that helps care for orphaned baby elephants. Such orgnizations are the reason these wonderful creatures get to live yet another day.

Cheers to DSWT! :)

A Little More About The Elephant

Well, yesterday i talked in brief about the elephants unique and amazing features.. i only remembered after that i didn't talk about the elephant ears! Well...am glad i didn't because that is one of the features of an elephant that really distinguishes the African elephant from the Asian elephant. There are more distinguishable features but this is the one that can be clearly seen or rather...heard... no pun intended! ; )

The African elephant has large ears and some say it is shaped indeed like the map of the African continent! The Asian elephant on the other hand has smaller ears. Now, the elephant's ears are most important because they flap it to cool off their bodies in the hot sun. Some say its actually like an air conditioner!

I talked a bit on the tusks but what i didn't mention was that elephant tusks are made of ivory. You are probably aware that poachers kill these beautiful animals just for a piece of the ivory. In fact, elephants are more sought after than rhinos because of a diamond pattern that appears on the tusk giving a distinct luster.

Interestingly, the trunk not only acts as a lip but a nose too! The trunk has two nostrils at the end that suck up air into their lungs. Elephants use their trunks to drink but do not suck up the water all the way. You may have seen it do this before. Instead, it curls its trunk towards its mouth, tilts its head up and lets the water pour into its mouth. Seems like a lot of work, right? And may i add they drink between 75 to 190 litres of water per day!

Elephants live to eat...literally! They spend an average 16 hours per day eating! According to the San Diego Zoo, Bush elephants are grazer-browsers and feed on grass, shrubs and small trees while forest elephants are browser-frugivores and feed on leaves, fruits, branches and bark.

We all know that elephants make the sound called the trumpet but what you may not know is that they also make other sounds whose frequency is too low for our ears...they use this to communicate with one another over long distances...

There is indeed so much to learn from these sociable creatures...don't you feel a little bit more connected to this animal now? I sure do :)

The Beginning: Defining the Elephant

I have recently found out that right next to my love for tigers, is my love for the elephant.
Yes, that big big often misunderstood and lovable creature; of which i have decided to blog about.
It has been 35 weeks since i wrote my last blog on the tiger (sharonkili.blogspot.com.au/) and i thought it was about time i rekindle my writing with another wild creature.


So, why would i blog about this animal? Well, follow me through and i will show you.

You don't need me telling you that elephants are the largest land animals on earth, but maybe you don't know this about them...

1. There are two kind of elephants: the African and Asian elephant. Both of them have several subspecies. It is not however known the number of subspecies there are.
2. Elephants eat grass, roots, fruit and bark and has an appetite that matches its body size! According to National Geographic, it can eat about 136kgs of food a day!
3. A group of elephants is called a herd...you probably know that... but i bet you didn't know that it is actually the oldest female also known as the matriarch, that leads the entire herd! Adult males apparently tend to wander off on their own.Talks about strength of a 'woman'!

And that's not all...elephants follow certain  rules of engagement in that in a meeting, it is expected that the other elephant extends it trunk for greeting. Just as the queen teaches princesses etiquette, the matriarch often teaches young elephants in her herd how to act properly. Now isn't that just proper!

4. In the same way that humans tend to be right handed or left handed, elephants can be right tusked or left tusked...According to the World Wide Fund, the dominant task is easily identified because it is usually worn out. Interesting, right?

5. According to National Geographic, an elephant's trunk has over 100,000 muscles that it uses to breathe, smell, pick things, drink and make noises with! 

6. One more fact on these creatures...the elephants skin can be as thick as one inch but it is quite sensitive to the sun and thus protects itself by covering in mud and dust.

Now do you see why i have an interest in them...they are such unique creatures and well...with their size and all...we might tend to dismiss them as too big and dangerous to care to know them but i bet you will be surprised what you find out...

More to come.... :)