Did you know that elephants talk? Check out this video from the BBC, which takes a look at the sounds elephants make — too low for human ears to pick up — to communicate. These low frequency sounds travel several kilometers to spread information throughout the rainforest to other elephants in the area, in fact they’re the main way that these elephants can socialize and keep in touch.
Image: WWF
News from the ivory trade front: last week 116 elephant tusks were seized in Congo.
KINSHASA, Congo — Police in northeastern Congo have seized 116 elephant tusks and arrested two men following a truck crash.
Col. Sylvain Tshikez said Wednesday that the ivory was found inside jerry cans that tumbled off a truck involved in a crash.
The discovery took place near the town of Kisangani in the northeastern Orientale province following the accident. The owner of the vehicle was seriously injured but was also expected to face charges.
Illegal hunting of elephants in central and eastern Africa has intensified in recent years, with much of the ivory exported to Asia.
Poachers also have taken advantage of the fact Congo suffered through back-to-back civil wars, and the country’s volatile east remains mired in armed conflict.
Image: New Scientist
We figured it was time for some good ole trivia, elephant style. These creatures are impressive to say the least.
Impressed? Help save elephants by fighting the ivory trade — you can donate to our project here.
Image: National Geographic
First off, thanks to our generous donor who will be matching donations until September 17th. That means for the next month all donations count double! Click here for the donations page!
As the crew prepares itself for the upcoming Elephant Ivory Project (EIP) expedition to the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) in December, a long list of tasks must be completed. Nearing the top of this list is fundraising. However, curbing elephant poaching and saving elephants won’t be done through funding alone; education is a vital component and the EIP crew knows it.
Combining fundraising and education, EIP expedition member Trip Jennings and partner Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky arranged an adventure/education presentation in Marin County, CA to raise funds and awareness for the upcoming expedition.  Trip held the audience captive with his background in kayaking, conservation and adventure. He shared details from the Epicocity Project’s last expedition to the DRC with National Geographic where they completed the first descent of the lower Congo river-surviving rapids larger than school busses and spontaneous vortex whirlpools (not to mention the pack-hunting monster Goliath tiger fish they were helping scientists study).
To the less adventurous person, surviving the DRC once is enough. For the Epicocity crew, once is just the beginning. Trip’s presentation included his introduction, and subsequent invitation to return to the DRC, from wildlife forensic Dr. Sam Wasser, the staggeringly high number of elephants poached for ivory (104 per day in 2009), the inversely proportional number of elephants remaining on the planet (485.000 in Asia and Africa combined) and how returning to the DRC to collect elephant scat samples will save elephants.
The evening was a success, with one presentation attendee offering a $500 matching donation through September 17th, 2010.  If you’ve been thinking of donating to make this conservation project possible NOW IS THE TIME! Donate before September 17th and your tax-deductible contribution will be matched-up to $500!
Despite putting in the wrong order for weather (we wanted SUN! not Bay Area FOG!), this adventure/education presentation + fundraiser could not have been possible without the dedicated support of Marin County residents Jacqueline Zimmer and Linda Sawtell. In addition, our whistles couldn’t have been wetted better thanks to the wine donation of Sonoma County vineyard Bodega Rancho.
Lastly, a trip to the Bay gave us the perfect excuse to hit the beach for an afternoon of surfing (or at least get a few great attempts in) at Pacifica beach.
If you know of a captive adventure and conservation-orientated audience that would like to host an Elephant Ivory Project presentation please let us know! We’d love to keep educating folks about elephant poaching and the ivory trade as well as fundraise for our upcoming expedition.
© Kyle Dickman, Epicocity Project
Our first Elephant Ivory Project campaign is complete and we’ve randomly drawn three winners who will take home some awesome prizes! Drum roll please…
1. Jeremiah “Miah” Kavanaugh, you won an Osprey Raptor 6 hydration pack + a SPOT Messenger Unit!
2. Allison Pattillo, you won a Sierra Designs tent + an Adventure Medical Kits first aid kit!
3. John B. Hutchinson, you won a pair of Mountain Khakis, an Osprey Raptor 6 hydration pack + AlpineAire snacks!
Thanks to everyone who participated at Outdoor Retailer and became of fan of Elephant Ivory Project! We couldn’t do this without all of your help! This was just the first of many campaigns as we ramp up for our expedition to Congo this winter. Stay tuned here on the blog and on Facebook. More coming at you soon, but for now, thanks again for helping us to save some elephants!
|
|
|
|