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Elephants and poaching
Elephants and poaching
Elephants and poaching
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everywhere, in piano keys, jewelry, religious objects and more, but this demand caused a massive decline in the populations of African elephants. Elephants have been around for an uncountable number of years, and within the last decade poachers have killed 60% of the African Elephant population according to World Elephant Day, an organization hoping to preserve the elephant population and habitat, also state if no action is committed then the extinction of the elephant could come in the upcoming decade. Humans have been killing elephants for meat and their ivory for countless years, according to PBS.org's article, "The Poaching Problem", an estimate was made "In 1977, 1.3 million elephants lived in Africa; by 1997, only 600,000 remained."
George Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” is a short story that not only shows cultural divides and how they affect our actions, but also how that cultural prejudice may also affect other parties, even if, in this story, that other party may only be an elephant. Orwell shows the play for power between the Burmese and the narrator, a white British police-officer. It shows the severe prejudice between the British who had claimed Burma, and the Burmese who held a deep resentment of the British occupation. Three messages, or three themes, from Orwell’s “Shooting an Elephant” are prejudice, cultural divide, and power.
Due to poaching for their ivory, African elephants are becoming an endangered species. Because of this, they can be found today primarily in game reserves or in national parks. They were originally found on the southern tip of Africa, from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic coast of Africa. African elephants occupy different habitats, ranging from semi-desert areas to mountain regions to grasslands or forest areas. Specifically, African elephants are most often found in the Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests, the Miombo woodlands, or the Acacia savannahs (Elephants, 2014).
After the Industrial Revolution, the act of stronger countries taking control of weaker countries became a common practice of colonization or Imperialism. When one think of “Imperialism” they might think of the country and the people that have been taken over. Their resources are being taken, their people are being mistreated so of course people will feel bad for the conquered countries. What people don't know is that imperialism is a double edge sword. In the story “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell, we are shown Orwell's view on British's Imperialism, though the British empire found use in Imperialism, Orwell found faults and that it hurts the conqueror as much as it hurts the conquered.
A police officer in the British Raj, the supposedly 'unbreakable'; ruling force, was afraid. With his gun aimed at a elephant's head, he was faced with the decision to pull the trigger. That officer was George Orwell, and he writes about his experience in his short story, 'Shooting an Elephant';. To save face, he shrugged it off as his desire to 'avoid looking the fool'; (George Orwell, 283). In truth, the atmosphere of fear and pressure overwhelmed him. His inner struggle over the guilt of being involved in the subjugation of a people added to this strain, and he made a decision he would later regret enough to write this story.
Approximately 25,000 elephants were killed for ivory in 2011. Orenstein (Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins), a wildlife conservationist, tells an appalling story of how persistent greed for ivory and rhino horn has drastically reduced African elephant and rhino populations. Crime syndicates meet the unrelenting demand by using heavily armed poaching gangs to raid Africa's wildlife preserves and national parks
By the 1900’s of the five rhinoceros species the southern white rhinoceros was the most endangered with less than 20 remaining in a single reserve in South Africa (Rolfes, ). By 2010 the white rhino numbers have risen to more than 20 000 becoming the most common rhino species on the planet (Rolfes, 2011). Established in 1898 the Kruger National Park is part of South African National Parks. The past year has seen a rise in rhino poaching notably in South Africa ( ).
The common name is the African Elephant, the scientific name is Loxodonta Africana, the phylum is Vertebrata, the class is Mammalia, the order is Proboscidea, and the family is Elephantidae. The Closest Relatives to the African Elephant are: the Asian Elephant, mammoths, primitive proboscidean (mastodons), sea cows, and hyraxes. Scientists believe that the African Elephant evolved from one of its closest relatives, the Sea Cow. The geographical location and range of the African elephant covers all of central and southern Africa. In Ethiopia there are isolated populations that exist around Lake Chad in Mali and Mauritania. Also in Kenya, Rhodesia, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Zaire, and in National parks located in South Africa, as well as several other countries. African Elephants, originally, were found in all of the Sub-Saharan African habitats except desert steppes. Elephants still occupy diverse habitats such as: temperate grassland, tropical savanna and grass lands, temperate forest and rainforest, tropical rainforest, tropical scrub forest, and tropical deciduous forest despite their drastic decline in numbers. However, their migratory patterns and habitat use have changed, due to the fact that they are restricted to protected areas. The elephant can exist in many types of environments but it prefers places that have many trees and bushes, which the elephant needs both for food and shade. They also like warm areas that have plenty of rainfall.
In conclusion 'Shooting an Elephant' is a success because Orwell added a great tone, pace, and developed his main character in a way that was just right to get his message across. The message was that society will always find a way to judge people on the little things and pressures you into making actions that wouldn't be right to do. For example, the narrator did not want to shoot the elephant at all. At the end of the story he admits that he shot it because he didn't want to give out an image that he was a coward. George Orwell writes 'Shooting an Elephant' in a depressing mood that is also very descriptive.
From the beginning of the narrative “Shooting An Elephant,” George Orwell creates a character with a diminished sense of self. The character narrates, “I was hated by large numbers of people -- the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me” (Orwell, 58). All he wants is attention and it is evident that even negative attention is better than being ignored. He hates working for the British as a sub-divisional police officer in the town of Moulmein. He even makes it known to the audience that, “Theoretically -- and secretly, of course -- I was all for the Burmese and all against their oppressors, the British” (58). The character knows he does not want to be in this position, as a Anglo-Indian
Elephants are an endangered species and they should not be killed for their ivory or they will become extinct. In the article The Poaching Problem the author writes” elephant populations have declined to dangerously low levels.” At the rate that poachers are killing these innocent animal the entire species of elephants will be extinct in the year 2030! That is only twenty five years, I know that does not seem like a long time but it is going to go by fast and every one will regret killing all those poor innocent gentle creatures. In case study 483 they author writes “ During the 1970s and 1980s elephant poaching had included about 1.3 million elephants killed for their tusks.” It is hard to distinguish between legal and illegal ivory so it is sold easily.
Concentrated primarily on vulnerable species, the black market trade has increased the demand for ecosystem services found in animals for supposed medicinal properties, cultural and socioeconomic status, and overall community livelihoods. In Africa, poaching remains high, with the number of killed elephants doubling well over 30,000 since 2007 (1). This is correlated with the increase in global price for rhino horns and elephant ivory, selling anywhere from $2,500 to $65,000, to even $440 million per kilogram. These gradually climbing prices have enhanced the anxiety of scientists and policy makers actively contributing to the development of restoration programs by changing the dynamics between not only populations of various species, but also the humans in which they
According to Poaching, officials say that illegal hunters (poachers) kill tens of millions of animals each year. Most of the poachers do not get caught or punished, and that is very disappointing because they just get away with killing an animal that did nothing to them and they are breaking the law. Poachers that hunt Rhinoceros or Elephants usually leave the useful meat and possibly even their skin can be useful. Many animals are killed each year from poaching and their resources are wasted, other people in the world could use the resources from the poached
$80 million dollars will be gained in the next three years for ivory trading. Poachers have been hunting Elephants for their ivory for 30 years. Even though ivory trade is illegal, many people need money for food and other important things. As a kid, I witnessed farm animals get tortured by the hands of human and they were killed so they can be used for food that people can eat. A decade later, the world hadn’t adjusted to preserving animals and protecting them from people who show no shame and honor to life. My position is that I am against it because elephants are very vital to ecosystems around the world, elephant poaching shouldn’t be another source of income for countries that need money, and the eradication of elephants in the world for their ivory illustrates that it is immoral and wrong.
A new disease has recently been discovered that is now hindering elephants’ ability to survive even further. This is a major problem because according to Science Magazine, as of 1997, there are only an estimated 291 Asian elephants and 193 African elephants left in North American zoos. Since this survey was conducted, this number has declined significantly. It is now estimated that for every elephant that is born in a zoo, another three die. In the wild, female elephants are constantly pregnant or nursing.
Due to lack of the lack of management and resources in the conservation programs has led to a further increase in poaching which has triggered to drastic decline in elephant populations. According to the Huffington post, a reputable news source, it reports, “an estimated 22,000 elephants were illegally killed across Africa in 2012”. In February alone there were as many as “650 elephants killed in a matter of days” If the elephant death continues at such a rapid rate it could lead to their demise. “Elephant poaching could wipe out 20 percent of African population in [the] next decade” (Huffington Post). An extinction in elephants would mean the possibly of many other species becoming endangered of going extinct as well.