The Problem
For years the continent of Africa has been the leading exporter of ivory goods for the world. This massive trade though, comes at the consequence of the source for this good; African Elephants. This trade also accounts for many illegal activities and poaching in Africa because the killing of elephants is prohibited in most of the continent. Over the past few decades Africa has been experiencing a drop in the elephant population, but biologist have not known the severity until recently. In an article from Sciencemag.org writer Sarah Williams brings to light the fact that elephant populations have dropped a staggering 62 % in the past ten years. To get this statistic, wildlife biologist Fiona Maisels of the Wildlife Conservation Society and a team of researchers led an expedition to collect 80 surveys of the animal in different African locations. It was the first time an effort as broad and as organized as this has been done on the animal in its conservation history. With the new data collected, the biologist hope African officials realize the seriousness of the elephants situation, and have faith that they will implement better regulation and enforcement of conservation laws. As large as the drop in population seems, the researchers suggest the number may even be more severe. Many surveys were taken in protected areas where elephants often flee to protect themselves from human risks. This could lead to measurements that actually overestimate elephant populations in an area.
Why is this a Problem?
Wildlife conservation is always a problem in today's world of continued industrialization and constant human greed. We as humans often fail to realize the implications of actions and consequences that our ways of living can have on the environment. The case of the elephant in Africa is especially problematic because of Africa's disunity as a continent and differences from place to place in laws and regulations. If environmental groups across the world don't address wildlife agencies and their enforcement of protection laws, then the African Elephant could be facing extinction. One way that I believe we could increase the population of elephants in Africa, is increase the number of protected areas for wildlife . Along with this there needs to be stricter enforcement of conservation law and major penalties for those who chose to break it. Poachers need to be punished to the extent that the reward of the ivory trade is not worth the risk of being caught. Its time for humans to begin taking responsibility for the world we have been blessed with and stop being responsible for the depletion of its resources and wildlife.
Why This Article
I chose this article this week because recently I have been learning a lot about human biology and that pertaining to health and the brain, but have failed to research that of wildlife and environmental biology. I like this article because it deals with the aspects of wildlife and the environment and pertains to a current issue in the world. I have always been passionate about the Earth that God has given us and believe that we should respect and care for it. Wildlife biologist have a daunting task before them to continue to educate the world on ways to conserve as well as reversing the negative effects humans have had on the Earth.
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2013/03/african-forest-elephant-populati.html
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