Super-unnatural Occurrences

Super-unnatural Occurrences

In the wild, elephants have nothing to fear. Their mighty size leaves them with no natural predators. Yet, every 15 minutes, 1 of them dies of unnatural causes (Last Days Film). At the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, May 2013: there are 26 elephant corpses, 17 Sudanese militants, semi-automatic rifles, and…zero tusks. What is missing from this scene? Ivory, on its way to Sudan, where it will then be smuggled into Asia (Vidal). Poaching is not something of the past. Rather, the illegal ivory trade has more than tripled in size since its last peak in 1998 (Vidal).

The main reason poaching is still an issue today is due to the increasing demand for ivory in East Asia. According to the nonprofit think-tank Chatham House, “The street value of ivory reaches up to $2,205 per kilogram in Beijing. Rhino horn can sell for $66,139 per kilo – more than the price of gold or platinum – on the Chinese black market” (Vidal). Africa responds to these large consumer demands by selling poached goods at high prices on the black market. Ivory is even the preferred currency used by rebels and militants to buy weapons like grenades and low flying helicopters. In fact, “the masterminds of the poaching and human killings in these parks are powerful networks of criminals, militias, state armies and corrupt politicians from half a dozen fragile or failing central African countries” (Vidal). The Central African Republic (CAR) ranks at the bottom of the Human Development Index, overwhelmed by violence, poverty, and corruption. In the CAR, the Séléka are a militarized group armed with Iranian weapons (Hammer). With this rebel group in power, the Sudanese militants were able to invade the reservation and slaughter the 26 elephants mentioned earlier. (Hammer).

Now that the reasons behind the poaching have been established, what are the reasons behind the outrage? Game reserves are established to protect wildlife. Hence, the illegal act of poaching endangers these animals. Many also believe sacrificing an entire animal for a specific body part is wasteful. This colossal loss isn’t just restricted to wildlife. The Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered the deaths of five rangers over the past year due to shootouts and sieges by poachers (Vidal). Yet, the deaths of their friends haven't slowed the rangers’ missions to stop the conservation war. Garamba Park Manager Erik Mararv adds, “It’s about trying to stabilise a whole region which has been unstable for decades. It’s about trying to basically build peace. And that is why we wake up every morning, why everyone fights this war, and why we try and save the elephants” (Leithead).

Militarization, local relations, and education are some key ideas from experts on how to solve the crisis. Kalron is an ex-Israeli commando now devoted to protecting wildlife. He claims that militarized training is the first step in countering advanced weapons used by poachers. Kalron created a trusting relationship with aid and supplies to the Séléka, which ultimately dissuaded them from future poaching (Hammer). Other experts believe that implementing new education policies can raise awareness in Asia about the consequences of social customs. According to the non-profit African Wildlife Foundation, rhino horns are commonly thought to possess healing properties, treating hangovers, fever, and cancer. With newfound awareness towards this issue, humans can give back the freedom we have poached so long ago. Perhaps then will the elephants roam the forests without fear.

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Works Cited:

“Last Days Film.” End Ivory-Funded Terrorism, End Ivory-Funded Terrorism, 2017, Accessed June 2017.

Vidal, John. “On the Frontline of Africa’s Wildlife Wars.” The Guardian, The Guardian, July 2016, Accessed June 2017.

Hammer, Joshua. “The Fight Against Elephant Poachers Is Going Commando.” Smithsonian, Smithsonian, May 2016, Accessed June 2017.

Leithead, Alastair. “The War on Elephants.” BBC News, BBC News, June 2017, Accessed June 2017.

“Africa Is Home to the World's Most Iconic Wildlife.” Africa's Poaching Crisis – AWF, Africa's Poaching Crisis – AWF, Aug. 2017, Accessed Aug. 2017.