Mama gnome hungs her head low and wrings her hands together for the
Mystery Animal of the Day is predicted to be extinct in fifteen years. Not fifty, but 15 years.
This magnificent animal roams in Africa. It is the largest land animal. Its tusks are actually teeth, tusks developed from its second set of incisors.
And it is because of these tusks, that this animal will disappear from Africa in fifteen years.
If you guessed the Mystery Animal of the Day is the African Elephant, Mama gnome urges you to visit the websites for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and WWF to read up about the plight of African elephants and other animals and see how you can help. photo from wikipedia.org
The African Elephant is being wiped out by man because of the ivory trade.
According to this report: In 2005 there were 3,885 elephants in Chad's Zakouma National Park. But in 2009 there were only 617. "At least 11 rangers were killed by poachers there over the same period."
So elephants and people are being killed by poachers.
But what exactly will happen if Africa loses all of her elephants?
As it stands, Africa will lose a lot more because African elephants play a vital role in Africa's biodiversity.
According to WWF, elephants help "...maintain suitable habitats for many other species in savanna and forest ecosystems."
Mama gnome nods her head and understands your question for she herself didn't understand just how important elephants are.
"Elephants directly influence forest composition and density, and can alter the broader landscape.
In tropical forests, elephants create clearings and gaps in the canopy that encourage tree regeneration.
In the savannas, they can reduce bush cover to create an environment favorable to a mix of browsing and grazing animals.
Many plant species also have evolved seeds that are dependent on passing through an elephant's digestive tract before they can germinate;
it is calculated that at least a third of tree species in west African forests rely on elephants in this way for distribution of their future generations."
More than 100 elephants are killed by poachers every day. More than 100.
How many baby elephants are left orphaned or left to die without their mothers?
All these for ivory.
Where are ivories used? Anywhere from pipes, dagger handles, decorations, sculptures, religious figurines or images. For knick-knacks.
Mama gnome is horrified to discover ivory products were being sold even on eBay up until 2008. That's right. You read that correctly. And only because of pressure from IFAW, eBay finally resolved to ban sales of ivory products in 2009.
Mama gnome urges everyone who reads this blog to educate their friends, family, coworkers, even strangers about the plight of African elephants and how ivory trade is literally decimating hundreds of elephants every...single...day.
Mama gnome says, "Please be one with the herd, join Mama elephant and Go Green."
...an overall population decline of at least 50% over the last three generations (estimated to be 60–75 years, based on a generation time estimated to be 20–25 years) seems realistic.
They are endangered because of the continuing trend of poaching and habitat destruction.
And Mama gnome cannot help them as simply as walking with them up and out of the flood.
photo by: Ikiwaner
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