| An Appeal for South India’s Wild Elephants! |
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| Written by Ingmar Lee | |
| Monday, 06 November 2006 | |
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Calling All Elephant Lovers!! We are appealing for your immediate help to protect South India’s last significant herds of Wild Elephants! Please take a few moments to familiarize yourselves with the predicament of these magnificent animals! (Please endorse the “Ecological Internet” action alert following this report!)
Ash-trays for the Trophy Hunters Den Recent estimates of the number of Asian elephants (Elephus maximus) remaining in the wild range from 35,000 at the low end to 50,000 at the upper end. Asian elephants once ranged throughout most of Asia, but their habitat has been reduced to isolated fragments, often with boundaries that restrict traditional migrations and gene flow. This expanding human settlement/wildland interface has lead to increased pressure on populations due to human-elephant conflicts ranging from poaching to crop-raiding and roadkills. The distribution of Asian elephant populations in India is well known but population estimates, ranging from 26,000 to 31,000 are up to 14 years out of date and many are based on less than rigorous data collection. Also, effective population sizes are lower due to selective poaching of males for ivory. Elephant populations in most ranges are thought to be declining due to a combination of factors, the main ones being habitat loss due to expanding human settlement, increasing resource demands, and habitat fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation leads to the isolation of populations, and for wide-ranging animals, it may result in several isolated populations that are too small to be viable. Furthermore, inbreeding depression can exacerbate loss of genetic viability due to small population size, eventually leading to population extinction. For these reasons it is imperative that immediate efforts be focused towards protecting known key populations and creating corridors that can facilitate animal migration and gene flow.
Sigur Plateau Study Area (Nilgiri Mtns. to south, Moyar Gorge to north)
The Nagarhole, Bandipur, Wynaad, and Mudumalai protected
areas and the adjacent Nilgiri North Division have been identified as
one of the four most important zones within this range for long-term
conservation of elephants, due to its relatively intact habitat and
large elephant population. These four parks and their adjoining Reserve
Forests cover over 3300 sq. km of forest and support a population of
1800-2300 elephants. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve encloses this entire
region. However the Sigur Plateau, on the east side of the Mudumalai
Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu state, which serves as the link
between the Eastern and Western Ghats for migrating elephants, remains
largely unprotected as a buffer zone. In addition to elephants, tigers,
panthers, wild dogs, gaur, hyenas, and several other large mammals also
live in the forests of the Sigur plateau. The conservation of this
critical elephant habitat would not only serve to protect one of the
largest Asian elephant populations, but would also benefit the entire
ecosystem, including other rare species. There are seven settlements on the Sigur plateau, and six identified corridors used by elephants for movement and habitat that wind between their widening footprints, Reserved Forests (RFs), and the steep slopes of the Nilgiri hills to the south and those of the Moyar Gorge to the north. Most of these settlements were historically established along rivers and are now enclosed within Revenue Land boundaries. As their size has increased along with population growth (mainly due to hydroelectric construction projects), development, agriculture and tourism, village lands have expanded to form a near-continuous boundary between the Sigur plateau’s RFs, leaving only narrow corridors. Animal movement and access to surface water is now largely prevented by human-made barriers such as electric fencing and agricultural activities. The need for protection of these corridors was identified decades ago and has since been replicated in numerous studies. Consequently, several attempts have been made to have Sigur’s RFs included in the sanctuary. However, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has yet to move on such recommendations. Under the current intense level of development, these corridors could be lost in the very near future. Consequently, the carrying capacity of the protected area network will be diminished and local elephant populations, without access to water, are likely to disappear.
All of the elephant corridors are suffering from varying levels of degradation due to their proximity to settled areas. Corridor width between settlements varies from only 400-1000m. These corridors can be secured by the protection and restoration of forested areas within Revenue Lands that are in proximity to the corridors, which amount to about 400 ha or 10 sq. kms. One of the major issues is extensive grazing in protected areas, including parks, by thousands of cattle kept by villagers to produce truckloads of dung, much of which is sold to organic coffee plantations in Kerala for use as fertilizer. An integral facet of elephant conservation is to solve the dilemma of alternative livelihood requirements for villagers and tribals living in proximity to wildlife habitat. Unregulated, unplanned wildlife tourism in Sigur has also become a large part of the problem. The most seemingly insurmountable obstacle to the protection of the elephants is, quite tragically, rampant bureaucratic inertia. South India’s final wildlife refugia are screaming out for a single lead agency, with the power to command and coordinate the myriad interjurisdictional bureacracies that are complicating this simple conservation project. Additional major threats include: • Pressure from local reliance on cattle dung as a source of income, We are appealing to you to PLEASE immediately write to the Government of India, to DEMAND that they get serious about protecting South India’s wild elephants! Priorities are in the following order: 1) ESTABLISH A SINGLE LEAD AGENCY WITH SUFFICIENT POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY TO COMMAND AND COORDINATE THE CONSERVATION EFFORT 2) IMMEDIATELY SECURE THE KNOWN ELEPHANT CORRIDORS IN THE AREA AROUND MASINAGUDI, TAMIL NADU 3) RAISE THE STANDARD OF PROTECTION IN ALL RESERVED FORESTS THAT CONTAIN VIABLE ELEPHANT HABITAT 4) A PERMANENT MORATORIUM ON ANY FURTHER ROAD DEVELOPMENT IN THE SIGUR RESERVED FOREST 5) IMMEDIATE INSTIGATION OF INITIATIVES FOR CATTLE-TENDERS AND TRIBALS TO ENCOURAGE WILDLIFE-CONGRUOUS LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES This report written by Ingmar Lee and Krista Roessingh with the Ecological Internet _______________ You can help! Please click on this following link to the “Ecological Internet,” read the backgrounder and endorse the sign-on letter. The letter will then be automatically sent out to hundreds of government officials, media, elephant scientists, ENGO’s and business which have ‘interests’ in these magnificent wild animals. Let them know that the world is watching! http://www.ecoearth.info/alerts/send.asp?id=india Cheers, Ingmar For More News on Elephants, see: www.elephant-news.com
Comments (27)
  Deniz wrote on October 25, 2007
Title: ...
Ingmar and Krista
Are you located in India? Deniz deniz_b@yahoo.com
|| Deniz wrote on
October 25, 2007
Jeremy wrote on November 04, 2007
Title: ...
This makes me ill. I had the pleasure of meeting and working with some asian elephants during my brief stint with Ringling Bros. They have an amazing conservation site and I can tell you that I have fallen head over heels for these amazing mammals. Good luck in your efforts. Maybe one day I will travel to India to see some in person.
All the best Jeremy
|| Jeremy wrote on
November 04, 2007
Sandhyaa wrote on November 07, 2007
Title: ...
IT'S TERRIBLE.....INHUMAN......
|| Sandhyaa wrote on
November 07, 2007
Sandhyaa wrote on November 07, 2007
Title: ...
IT'S TERRIBLE......................
INHUMAN.....................
|| Sandhyaa wrote on
November 07, 2007
Sajaide Jarvis wrote on November 15, 2007
Title: gerrard0505
horrible and sickening
|| Sajaide Jarvis wrote on
November 15, 2007
Emily Hargreaves wrote on January 31, 2008
Title: ...
Hello I am 14 and my name is emily and i have VERY strong animal beliefs ans i am desprate to help but i dont think i am old enough to do anything. does anyone no anything i can do to help animals even the smallest amount? please email me if you do have any ideas i would love to get involved and help in some way.
thank you. Emily Pupil at Baltasound Juniour High School Shetland
|| Emily Hargreaves wrote on
January 31, 2008
Emily Hargreaves wrote on January 31, 2008
Title: ...
Hello its emily again i forgot to leave my email. its Emilynelliexxx@aol.com
Thank you emily hargreaves
|| Emily Hargreaves wrote on
January 31, 2008
irene wrote on February 09, 2008
Title: ...
So sad, so inhumane, so uncaring, so unloving, such a heartless act
|| irene wrote on
February 09, 2008
Sarah wrote on February 10, 2008
Title: ...
Thats just horrible. Good luck with your conservation efforts!
|| Sarah wrote on
February 10, 2008
Alejandra wrote on February 10, 2008
Title: ...
The very convulsing!
I hope that these wonderful animals can be helped! Its not fair how they treat them!
|| Alejandra wrote on
February 10, 2008
Tiffany wrote on February 12, 2008
Title: ...
I have loved Elephants since I was a young girl and first saw Bumbo the Disney movie. What is happening to these magnificent animals is indescribably disgusting. Please do the right thing for once even if you dont get money for it. Respect this beautiful, intelligent animal. Someone should be able to do something for these animals.
|| Tiffany wrote on
February 12, 2008
LIBBY GARDINER wrote on February 22, 2008
Title: indian elephants
i think that it is very cruel that this is happening to the poor elephants.This picture has made me feel very sad.PLEASE STOP DOING THIS TO THESE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS LIBBY GARDINER age 8
website || LIBBY GARDINER wrote on
February 22, 2008
lucy hamilton wrote on February 23, 2008
Title: indian elephants
i think u r cruel bitchers and they r nice wild elephants .so y do u do it to them .LUCY ANNA HAMILTON AGE 9
website || lucy hamilton wrote on
February 23, 2008
taylor merriam wrote on March 05, 2008
Title: aaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggg
ill kill who killed this elephant!!!!!thats horrable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!deaddeaddeaddeaddea
ddeaddeaddeaddeaddeaddead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|| taylor merriam wrote on
March 05, 2008
taylor merriam wrote on March 05, 2008
Title: ...
u gys are ars holes
|| taylor merriam wrote on
March 05, 2008
Dan Mannix wrote on March 11, 2008
Title: Them's good eatin' -- don't let nobody fool ya'!
ELEPHANT SOUP
1 med. elephant (African is best) 500 gal. hot water 2 pecks onions, finely chopped 1 bu. potatoes, peeled and sliced 5 shovels salt 3 shovels pepper 1 1/2 cases Worcestershire sauce 5 qts. peanut oil (optional) 10 bottles rum (or more if cooking time is longer or if you're expecting more than 8 guests) Mix 1 1/2 oz. of rum with coke; drink. Wash and dry elephant (don't use soap as this will spoil flavor). Chop into bite sized chunks. In back of 1/2 ton truck (or rented U-Haul) pour hot water. Have another rum and coke and add elephant, spuds and other ingredients. Allow to simmer. Meanwhile, finish first bottle of rum. Stir mixture using canoe paddle or small outboard motor. Allow to simmer until vegetables are tender and meat falls apart. When guests arrive, start them off with remaining rum. This recipe will serve 3800 people. If more are expected, 2 chopped rabbits may be added. Do this only if necessary as most people do not like to find a hare in their soup. (The peanut oil won't really add to the soup, but it's the way the elephant would have wanted it!)
website || Dan Mannix wrote on
March 11, 2008
Amanda wrote on March 11, 2008
Title: horrible
This is just horrible! The worst part is that these elephants are not being killed for survival purposes, but for personal gain. For fun and sport!
|| Amanda wrote on
March 11, 2008
emily wrote on March 25, 2008
Title: ...
This makes me sick! I just wanted to say that I want to help, but like the other emily, im WAY to young. I'm only 11 years old and I WANT to do something but NO ONE listens to kids. So what can I do?!?!?
|| emily wrote on
March 25, 2008
emily wrote on March 25, 2008
Title: HATERED
By the way I HATED the elephant soup add. Aren't we all trying to SAVE the elephants not kill MORE?!?!?
|| emily wrote on
March 25, 2008
Naomi wrote on March 25, 2008
Title: act of goodness
This is to all of the people that read this. Now you've seen what happens to them. I want to do something but I don't know what I would be able to do. Anyone can comment or tell me by e-mailing me at I can't do this alone! NAOMI RICARDO AGE11
|| Naomi wrote on
March 25, 2008
casey wrote on March 31, 2008
Title: ...
i hate it when poeple kill animals!!!!! i mean it is really mean and something needs to be done about!!!!!!!!! i want to help buthow like they are going to listen to a teenager
|| casey wrote on
March 31, 2008
Aashna wrote on May 27, 2008
Title: STOP THIS DISGUSTING ACTIVITY
its disgusting to see how peopleare killing these beautiful animals for fun and for personal gain. i so wish i could do sumthing their welfare but unfortunately im not of the age to influence people. i feel strongly about animal welfare. ALL THE BEST FOR UR EFFORTS!!!!
|| Aashna wrote on
May 27, 2008
Katherine Roberts wrote on June 02, 2008
Title: answer to what you can do to help even when you're young....
several younger kids have asked how they can help.
something simple you could do is talk to your school and your friends and run some fundraisers to raise money for charities like WWF (world wildlife foundation). These charities need all the money that they can get. Also if you look around on the interent many charities run adoption schemes.... basically you sponser an elephant and are kept updated on its progress =) I know when you're little you feel like theres nothing you can do. but there is! even if it's just starting small. and to the person who wrote the soup thing.... 1) you're sick, that really isn't funny or amusing in any way. 2) lets see how you'd feel if we hunted you down, ripped out your teeth and cut your legs and arms off and then carved you up while you were STILL ALIVE.
website || Katherine Roberts wrote on
June 02, 2008
Logan wrote on September 11, 2008
Title: ...
As long as humans still exist, most animals will not.
Just wait until theres no elephants left, then people will have wished that they saved them.
|| Logan wrote on
September 11, 2008
Julibeth wrote on September 18, 2008
Title: For the young ones who want to help...
Hello,
At the age of 12 my passion for non-human animal rights and humane care for these creatures begun and as I grew older my passion grew stronger. I was teased by other kids of my age and ignored by the adults. One day I witnessed the slaughter of a pig and that was enough for me, I became vegetarian. Unfortunately, my family and friends were not supporting at all, instead they criticized me a whole lot and were so influentional on me that I let go of the vegetarian diet and became a meat eater again. I knew that it was wrong to eat meat but at that time I didn't want to be teased so I listen to everyone else. Two days before Thanksgiving, at age 13, I read an article or some type of literature about the canadian seal hunt and, I asked to myself what can I do to help these harmless and innocent animals? I thought to myself at that moment that these animals, the seals, are not the only animal suffering and that if I want to help animals then I have to help them all or at least as many as I can so I decided that my first step in helping animals would be adopting a vegetarian diet like I once did but this time I will stick with it. That was five years ago but now I am no longer a vegetarian but a vegan, which is a stricter type of vegetarian, vegan to be exact. After I became a vegetarian, I started having discussion and oral presentations about animal rights with family members, friends, teachers and even strangers. At the age of 14, I became an animal rights activist. I attend protests against the fur industry, KFC, circuses, the canadian seal hunt, meat industry and in the past I have created petitions against the fur industry. I used to volunteer in the ASPCA, which stands for the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, as a cat socializer but not any longer because I moved out of my hometown to attend college. I am 18 years old and I couldn't feel more proud of the things I have done. I am currently majoring in zoology, which is the branch of science that studies animal behavior, to later attend veterinary school for wildlife veterinary medicine. Well, I guess that my point by telling you guys a little about me is to show you that you are never too young to help out. The younger you are the more influence you have on people. I have influence many people throughout the past years that some of my friends are now also into animal rights and have become vegetarians. "Stand up for what is right, even if you are standing alone" and remember one person does make a difference. If you want to help these elephants then educate people about them, write letters to whom ever, protest but don't think that you can't do so because you are young besides if we don't do something who will, the elephants or any other animal can't so we have to. Good luck to everyone and if you have any questions e-mail me at boricuavegtripla@yahoo.com
|| Julibeth wrote on
September 18, 2008
laura brad wrote on November 10, 2008
Title: elephants are my life
i love elephants and i have a pet elephants which i regulary play with. i think its horrible to do this to elephants, we should all live in peace and harmony and just strip, REJOYCE WITH ME PEOPLE
PEACE OUT BLUDSS
website || laura brad wrote on
November 10, 2008
heth wrote on November 18, 2008
Title: wtf
I love elephants i think they are the most beautiful and smart creatures out there and am so disturbed by this and many other photos of what terrible people do to theese inocent animals this makes me very sad to see!!
|| heth wrote on
November 18, 2008
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