As part of another, more conservation-minded project, researchers at the Center are studying how elephants perceive smells. Since the early 1990s, Ringling Bros. has bred 16 of the 42 Asian elephants born in North America, equal to the number produced by all the zoos combined. “A world without elephants would be a much sadder place.”. Recently, there have been some promising steps towards ending the … Despite all the research and conservation efforts at the Center, there are still plenty of animal lovers who hate zoos and circuses. Most people will never get to Africa or Asia on extended safaris. Here are ways to help: Donate to Africa Hope Fund. Click Here to Make a Donation to Save the Elephants. How to Save Africa’s Elephants 1. “The Asian elephant is going to go extinct as a wild animal,” he says, “because the wild does not exist anymore.”. World Elephant Day is recognized on August 12, an appeal to all global citizens to help conserve and protect elephants from the numerous threats they face. Elephants Conservation. … We develop and deploy cutting edge tracking systems to monitor and protect elephants. STE provides information on elephant movements for landscape planners to protect rangeland and creates innovative solutions to prevent elephants from raiding crops, such as our Elephants & Bees project. That may sound like a big number, but the future looks bleak. Ringling Bros. finished building the facility in 1995 on a 200-acre site between Tampa and Orlando. The species that lives in Africa is threatened, and Asian elephants are in big trouble. As farmland spreads and infrastructure developments fragment habitat, elephants are being forced into increasing conflict with people. Donate with confidence – we are a registered charity and you can view our annual reports here. The publication, as well as. Improve elephant protection and management - by providing equipment and training to anti-poaching teams; promoting the creation of new protected areas and improving the … It’s estimated that between 30,000 and 40,000 elephants are illegally hunted each year for their ivory, a commodity now so valuable it’s referred to as “white gold.” With one elephant tusk bringing in as much money … With elephants, first impressions can be quite impressive. Founded in 2003, Science News for Students is a free, award-winning online publication dedicated to providing age-appropriate science news to learners, parents and educators. All of these actions have devastating impact… Humans kill the elephants to keep them off valuable farming land. Unless things change, the population will be halved in less than a decade. Researchers are trying lab techniques to fertilize female elephants without mating them. Elephant cultures are complex, and the animals are surprisingly smart. Elephants have also taken on important roles in mythology and religion. Our strategies to get there include: Protect elephants and their habitat. That’s not because the bulky animals have it any easier than the rest of the troupe. Yet each year, more than 200 million people go to circuses and zoos, Kirtland estimates. Register to access: Already Registered? A gang in South India has killed more than 40 elephants … Illegal poaching of elephants … With China’s economy only showing signs of growing, one can speculate that this practice will continue exponentially in the future unless something is done. Ancient religions in India, South China, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere have featured gods that had elephant heads. Get important updates on elephant conservation, hear about STE events in your area, and be a part of our community helping to conserve the largest land mammal on earth. To get there, we employ five major strategies: Prevent illegal killing. One fifth of the world’s people live in Asia, and their activities are squeezing elephants out. Africa’s human population is set to double by 2050, creating enormous pressures for elephants. Ringling Bros. itself has 55 Asian elephants in its herd. I couldn’t even lift the big, heavy stick that acrobats use for balance. One project is trying to skirt the courtship issue altogether by looking at the possibility of artificial insemination. Asian elephants … Free educator resources are available for this article. Sumatran elephants in the Leuser Ecosystem and associated nearby forest areas in Northern Sumatra, Indonesia, are sadly severely threatened by the conversion of forests into farmland and palm oil plantations. At a recent exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul, I had a chance to try. Enter your e-mail address above. “If you put one guy in a room full of women, he’s casual,” he says. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® circus, in particular, has been working extra hard in recent years to help keep Asian elephants from dying out. If you continue to use this site, you consent to our use of cookies. We involve local people in research and education to develop a conservation ethic based on local knowledge and elephant needs, and recognize that the best ambassadors for elephants are the people with whom they share their land. For thousands of years, people have been using the animals to help with agriculture, logging, and military activities. Preserving such an enormous creature can be an enormous challenge. Simultaneously, many people are telling us they feel frustrated, because they want to help but do … Save the Elephants partnered with WCN to launch the Elephant Crisis Fund (ECF) in partnership with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Asian Elephant Support: Check out their projects throughout southern and southeast Asia to help conserve the species and learn how you can help their cause, from donations to animal care. There’s plenty to admire. We conduct vital research on elephant behaviour and ecology and pioneered GPS radio tracking in Africa to provide fresh insight into the life of elephants. What is being done magazine, are published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. Monitor elephant numbers, poaching rates, and threats to elephant … 95% of the money we receive goes directly to effective projects to save elephants … The destruction of the rainforest means elephants increasingly intrude on villages and farms looking for food. Post was not sent - check your e-mail addresses! We also assist in implementing a UN-level programme to monitor the illegal killing of elephants. There are two species of elephants living on Earth today. – Millie … Among elephants and rhinos, sharks have been experiencing a decline with the rise of shark fin soup, which is said to help produce vitality and good fortune. That might win the animals additional human friends in Asia. “Put several guys in a room full of women, they have to compete for the women’s attention.”. They want to find odors that are particularly repulsive to elephants so that they can design “odor fences” that would keep wild elephants from destroying farmers’ crops. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by e-mail. All rights reserved. The publication, as well as Science News magazine, are published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. Get the Latest Updates on Elephant Conservation on our Blog. 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