Globally Marching for Elephants, Rhinos and Lions

Hello fellow trumpeters! 

How many of you were trumpeting, grunting and roaring at the march this past weekend? The 4th of October highlighted, not only awareness for elephants, rhinos and lions, but to all animals everywhere - World Animal Day. 

In which city did you march? My dearest family and I attended the Global March for Elephants, Rhinos and Lions in Sandton, Johannesburg. Thousands had attended, and boy oh boy was I touched and super emotional. The spirit and the love echoed through the streets of Sandton as everyone's foot steps sung a tune of sorrow, but also a strong and powerful tune of hope. 

My sister asked me, "What is this going to help anyway?" And fair point. A caller on 702 also called in and said that the march won't stop the poachers - did you sit at home and complain rather caller?

The march is not only for awareness. The march is for unity. The march is for hope. The march is thousands of voices demanding a change in government and politics. We didn't sit at home and mope about how the poachers will still poach - we want to cause a wave of protection through our song and our STOMP, STOMP, STOMP as we tell governments to  
TIGHTEN YOUR LAWS ON ANIMAL TRAFFICKING.

Every 9-11 hours a rhino is poached. Every 15 minutes an elephant is poached. It is inconceivable at the rate that these two important and majestic creatures are leaving this earth. 

I remember a year ago, just a year ago, people asked me what I wanted to do when I had completed my studies. My answer was simple, "I want to save the elephants." Strangely enough I received a lot of criticism and even on occasion, a laugh with the inevitable response, piercing through my heart, "Elephants do not need saving! There are too many of them!" 

One year later a study is released, and the statistics are what I had been tripping over my own words with - plus minus 100 000 elephants had been slaughtered in three years. That is plus minus 35 000 a year. 

This is why this year, especially in South Africa, I was humbled and so relieved to see that people have come to realise that the elephants are in danger too. That the greed of slimy and terrible people cannot only extend to one, but to many animals.  

The animals cannot talk. And that is why we march. So we can talk for them. Cliche, but reality. 

So, fellow trumpeters, grunters (I imagine that is the sound of rhinos) and roarers - keep singing your song, and never let it tune down, only tune up. 

x x

World Animal Day 2014

Hello fellow trumpeters, and calling on all fellow animal warriors far and wide! 

I am here to spread the news about the 4th of October 2014:

WORLD ANIMAL DAY 

On this day, the 4th of October 2014, thousands, hopefully millions of people around the world will be marching for animals in danger around the world! Particularly this march is dedicated to Elephants and Rhinos, for they are amongst the most endangered around the world. 

One Rhino is poached every 9-11 hours. One Elephant is poached every 15 minutes. And for what? Greed. Money. Status. It disgusts me that our species, the so called 'wise' and 'accomplished' are so heartless and ruthless, a disgrace to the human race - and I am not afraid to be 'mean' or whatever you want to call it.  I will be blunt when I say that poachers should face harsh charges, because there are people out there EVERY day putting their lives in danger to help fight for the survival of our precious species, and if they get hurt for doing something good and pure and selfless, then poachers should face harsher conditions.

The ironic part though of it all is that they are shooting themselves in the foot - Animals do not need us. We need animals. Every creature counts in the circle of life - The Lion King taught us that. So...

Will YOU march? 

I am so humbled to see so many cities getting involved in the Global March this year. Find your city, and join us on the march against extinction! 

Please visit the website for more information, http://www.march4elephantsandrhinos.org/. 

www.thepettreehouse.com

Keep on trumpeting!

x x 

A - Altruism

Hello fellow trumpeters! 

Today I will start at the top of the alphabet, and explore an amazing animal behaviour exhibited by these majestic creatures known as : 

ALTRUISM

In biological terms, altruism is a behaviour by which an animal decreases its own fitness and may put itself into danger in order to benefit the fitness and well-being of another animal, which we can also understand as selflessness (Bell 2008). Elephants are incredible in that they can show altruism, and not only to other elephants and other animals, but to human beings as well (elephantsforever.co.za). 

Joyce Poole (1996) shares such a story of altruistic behaviour shown towards humans. In Kenya, on Kuki Gallman's Laikipia Ranch, a ranch herder was charged by the matriarch of an elephant herd he happened to stumble upon. The matriarch unfortunately hurt the poor herder and broke his leg. When he did not return that evening, a search party was sent out to find him. He was found, and extraordinarily an elephant is seen with him, somewhat protecting him. When the search party fire shots into the air to scare off the elephant, the herder informs them of how amazing the elephant had behaved. He said she would gently touch him with his trunk and pick him to help him into the shade when she observed that he could not walk. 

Many people view elephants as dangerous creatures, especially due to their incredible size and strength. Approaching an unaware, or suddenly startled elephant is definitely not something people should do, especially if you approach a male in musth (when males are ready to mate) because testosterone is definitely dancing on high levels, or if you approach an elephant herd led by a matriarch. She is extremely protective of her herd and will see you as a threat to the safety of her herd. 

A wonderful example of altruistic behaviour shown towards other animals is the story of how the elephant helped the baby rhino (http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/echo-an-elephant-to-remember/elephant-emotions/4489/).

A little rhino was stuck in the mud, and an adult elephant wanted to help and attempted to save the baby rhino by trying to pull it out. The mother of the calf was completely distressed, as one can imagine, and kept charging at the elephant. The elephant, however, did not stop trying to save the little rhino even though it was putting itself in danger. 

Incredible, hey? Definitely makes my heart melt with crazy love and admiration for these magical creatures!

Keep tuned for 'B' blog and more wonderful elephant stories! 

Till then,
Keep trumpeting! 

x x x
  

Two aunts helping a newborn to its feet.
www.atheistnexus.org

www.theatlantic.com

References: 

Bell, G. 2008. Selection: The Mechanism of Evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 367–368.  
ISBN 0-19-856972-6.

www.elephantsforever.co.za

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/echo-an-elephant-to-remember/elephant-emotions/4489/

Poole, J. 1996. Coming of Age with Elephants. Chicago, Illinois: Trafalgar Square. pp. 131–133, 143–144, 155–157. ISBN 0-340-59179-X. 

Happy Elephant Day

Fellow trumpeters, hello! 

First and foremost, happy elephant day! Today we recognize and admire, not only African elephant adventurers, but the magical and spiritual Asian elephants too! Every day should be elephant day in my opinion, but if we can have just one day that is dedicated to them, then that is simply wonderful. 

This blog, a beginning blog of, I hope, many more elephant blogs to come, is dedicated to admiring all the ways that make elephants one of the most greatest creatures this planet has ever seen.  

E - enormous
L - loving
E - extremely  intelligent
P - powerful  
H - huge, but vulnerable
A - altruistic
N - nurturing 
T - totally adorable
S - sustaining ecosystems for other species 

Next, we will dive into incredible amounts of juicy elephant facts, tales and art. 

Till then,

Never stop trumpeting!

x x x 

www.theglobalphotographer.com