As a foster parent to Chemi Chemi one of the orphaned baby elephants at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, I receive monthly reports written by Dame Sheldrick. The report includes an update on all the orphans including some of the battles lost and won in their frontline struggle against illegal poaching of elephants. The orphaned baby elephants are there quite often because their families have been slaughtered for their tusks. Those who support the Sheldrick Trust are supporting the important work of a frontline organization that is waging a battle to save elephants from being hunted to extinction. Every day I’m astounded by the human audacity to use, break, destroy, terrorize, mutilate, parade all manner of wildlife for greed and self-interest.
Elephants have the same life span as human beings. They have the same development growth as humans. They are social, sophisticated, smart, complex animals with an enormous capacity to remember, love and mourn. The more people are aware of the slaughter that is going on in Africa and the war that is being waged against its wildlife the greater chance these animals have of surviving. Standing by and watching species go extinct one by one, as the same time as we wage war on our planet is starting to make me sic. Those are my sober thoughts for a Sunday night. Elephants are not bracelets or trinkets.
Condofire 