As I looked for ways that we all can get involved in elephant protection, I kept coming upon the same request- “Donate Now”- and, in some ways, that was very disappointing because I was hoping to get more directly involved. But, after investigating some of the issues in elephant conservation, I began to feel this was a request that needed to be responded to in a thoughtful manner. In quite a few ways, saving elephants is about money- in some areas, park rangers have gasoline for poaching patrols because people made donations; enlarging reserves to prevent environmental damage from too-dense populations takes money; Blignaut et al. (2008) calculated that Masai farmers in Amboseli NP lost $10/acre in crops per year to elephants. And, although it may seem as if only huge donations can make a difference, some costs aren’t that monumental- when Blignaut et al. (2008) applied their calculations to all farmers in Africa who face elephant damage to crops and then divided that amount by the number of families in the Western world, it worked out to a yearly contribution of ̴60¢ per family; from that perspective, fostering goodwill by reimbursing farmers for elephant damage seems pretty reasonable. And I do think it’s important to consider what we, individually, are willing to give to ensure the survival of elephants in the wild. I can say that I support elephant conservation all I want, but, at the end of the day, I don’t have to live with them or experience their direct impact on my life- if I want people in elephant habitats to be tolerant of the giants in their midst, I think it’s only fair that I also pitch in and feel some indirect consequences of elephant conservation in my wallet.
Donations can be personal. Although conservation organizations are quite happy take your donation with no strings attached, there are ways that you can specify what you want that money to do. Both the Nature Conservancy and Save Nature have ‘Adopt an Acre’ programs; in the latter you can choose which park to support. Many people are also familiar with the ‘Adopt a Wild Animal’ programs that funnel donations into species conservation programs (for example with the World Wildlife Fund). But you may also want to think about other ways that money can be used. One theme that was mentioned again and again by conservation foundations working in Africa and Asia was educational programs, especially for children living near conservation projects. By providing educational opportunities and the supplies needed to take advantage of them, you can both help communities become better prepared for the future and foster long-term environmental stewardship. Through the African Wildlife Foundation you can give to the Manyara Ranch Primary School and through the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust you can indicate specific school supplies or experiences that you want to support. There are also a variety of ways that the money for donations can be raised.
Can I help without money? Absolutely. There are a variety of actions you can take right now that all contribute to elephant conservation or the conservation of other large herbivores:
- Talk to people about the ivory trade. Although the greatest demand for elephant ivory is in Asia, don’t forget how pervasive and influential Western culture is around the world- a continued, strong message that the loss of world elephant populations is not worth the ivory gained in return can help change attitudes.
- Remember that not all elephants live in parks and nature preserves. Elephants in zoos and other establishments need just as much support- you can volunteer your time and energy to help make life out of the wild as enjoyable and engaging as possible. There are also elephant sanctuaries that need volunteers.
- Pay attention to the state of large herbivores in your area- where I live, moose populations are down this year and scientists aren’t quite sure why. In Michigan, the decrease in moose numbers on Isle Royale has meant volunteer opportunities for helping with the summer research. There are usually a range of volunteer positions with state and local wildlife officials, some of which involve habitat management or data collection- contact your Dept. of Fish & Wildlife to see how you can help.
Elephants are big animals with big conservation concerns- that seems to equal trouble². But there are specific steps that can be taken, even if we live on a different continent, to help them and the people around them. Halting the ivory trade will take time and effort, as will more accurate understanding and management of elephant ecosystem roles, but perhaps elephant conservation benefits from the very nature of its size- hopefully once it gets started, it just keeps going.
Works Cited:
Blignaut, J., de Wit, M., and J. Barnes. 2008. “The Economic Value of Elephants” In: R.J. Scholes and K.G. Mennell (eds.) Elephant Management: A Scientific Assessment of South Africa. Witwatersrand University Press, Johannesburg.