People really do kill elephants for their tusks.
“This photo was taken near Amboseli National Park, he is an elephant named ‘One Ton’, and is one of the majestic bulls still alive in this area. These bulls tend to live on their own, only spending the time with the females and family groups during mating. Because he is such a big bull, One Ton, however, has a number of younger bulls that follow him around, learning from him.” Jeremy Goss.*
Do people really kill elephants for their tusks?
I had to ask that as a question out loud to myself recently, because I just couldn’t fathom that people really do that.
It’s illegal, but sadly true… people really do kill elephants for their tusks.
This National Geographic Blood Ivory headline caught my attention recently (from 2013):
http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/05/blood-ivory-surges-massive-seizure-in-hong-kong/
That article highlights seizing 779 tusks which we can guess translates to the slaughter of at least 400 elephants.
We wonder what happened to the dinosaurs, yet big sentient intelligent community animals like whales and elephants are always at risk today.
Facts:
- Elephants are indeedy the largest land mammal in the world.
- There are 2 types of elephants; African and Asian. Both female and male African elephants have tusks, but only male Asian elephants have tusks.
- Tusks are used as tools for digging and locating food.
- Elephants use their trunk has over 40,000 muscles and can be used to suck up water to drink, like a snorkel while swimming, and like a long nose to determine size shape and temperature of an object.
- Elephants have super hearing from their ears, and they can also listen from their feet.
- Elephants have families, family values, and social networks. They communicate, they bond, they herd (matriarch led).
- Elephants hug and greet, show altruism, compassion, laugh, babysit, and have welcome home greeting parties for friends.
- Elephants purr like kitty cats.
- Elephants can swim!
- Elephants can’t jump!
- Elephant mamas stay pregnant for 22 months!
- Elephants are herbivores.
- Elephants have no natural predators.
- Elephant females are called cows and males are called bulls.
This is a huge topic, pun intended!
In recent news, this is also a step in the right direction for elephants http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/03/05/ringling-brothers-elephants/24423553/
Thanks to Deborah Jo Nellis for
introducing me to Big Life Foundation.
www.biglife.org
*Thanks to Jeremy Goss for this beautiful image of One Ton, a bull that lives in the Big Life Foundation operating area. Checkout Jeremy’s Photo Page for more amazing images www.facebook.com/jeremygossphotography
Liquid Hike with Michele the Trainer…Healthy Interests Creating Healthy People!
_____
Michele the Trainer is your Wellness Expert, Motivational and Wellness Speaker, Published Author, Concierge Celebrity Personal Trainer, voted Best Fitness Trainer Los Angeles Daily News 2013/2014. Michele’s success losing 165 pounds holistically and keeping it off since 1998 is very inspirational. Click here for fun free stuff and information from Michele the Trainer
877-409-1758
www.michelethetrainerwellness.com
Here is Michele’s Amazon.com author page where you can find her book, Sexy Salads: