Senior Scientists Oppose Slaughter of Thousands of Elephants

South African National Parks Board's (“Sanparks”) proposed slaughter of over 5,000 elephants in the Kruger National Park (KNP) is untenable, according to Lawrence Anthony, Founder of The Earth Organization, a South African-based international conservation organization.

The Earth Organization, working in co-operation with Dr. Ian Raper, President of the Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of Science, and other leading researchers and scientists, announced today that recent breakthroughs in non¬-hormonal elephant contraception lay the foundation for an acceptable and workable alternative to the planned slaughter of many thousands of elephant in the KNP.
“Contraception as an option is fully backed and supported by South Africa’s leading veterinarians” said Dr Raper. “We find it remarkable that Kenya (a strong competitor of South Africa for tourists) has recently approached South African researchers to implement a major contraception program on elephant in Kenya, whilst our own parks authorities are rejecting the option.”
According to senior researchers, contraception will shortly be even further simplified by the much anticipated release of a one-shot, five-year treatment, thus making contraception both highly effective and easy to administer.

LACK OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS
Professor John Skinner, President of the Royal Society of South Africa, recently stated of Kruger Park, “A lack of scientific progress continues to hound park policy. I attribute this to a lack of fundamental research, an attitude of "this is our farm and we know the answers" and an inability to consult or accept outside advice.
“I gather from colleagues who attended these earlier meetings that there is not a shred of evidence in papers published in the primary scientific literature that elephants adversely affect biodiversity. Despite this, the Kruger Park authorities have recommended that numbers be reduced by culling.”
“Prof Skinners sentiments are echoed by other scientists” said Raper.

TOURISM FALLOUT
Anthony expressed concern that the Sanparks may be railroading its decision to cull before a proper appraisal is done on the potential fall-out on other related sectors. “This is not just a parks decision,” he said.
“For example,” Anthony said, “an elephant slaughter of this size and scope is unprecedented in international conservation history and will undoubtedly precipitate a concerted international animal rights campaign directed against the cull.
“The Humane Society of the United States [HSUS] has already publicly stated that, if the cull takes place, they will advise their eight and a half million members to avoid South Africa as a destination. Other major groups may follow suit and the potential effects of this on tour operators, travel agents, and eco-tourists should not be under estimated,” he said.
Rod MacLeod, a member of The Earth Organization and well-known Johannesburg merchant banker, said: “Tourism is a significant foreign exchange earner for South Africa, and as a sector is possibly the country’s largest employer. We need to avoid a confrontation with animal activists and environmental pressure groups to maintain our hard-won image as a wildlife haven for tourists.”
“South Africa’s tourism industry already suffers from a perceived crime problem,” MacLeod continued, “and this could easily be compounded by animal activists, who have already started branding us as ‘a last outpost of wildlife tyranny’ as they fire the first shots in their campaign.”

INFORMATION AGE
“This ill advised cull is generating a great deal of controversy as it properly should,” said Dr Raper. “We are now in the information age and these media can be effectively mobilised against the cull and will bring far greater pressure to bear than at the time of the previous cull, ten years ago, when the Internet, cellular communications and “reality news” were in their infancy,” he said.
“Imagine if you will,” said Anthony, “the effect of shocking images of dead and dying elephants, and the butchering of slain carcasses being projected into the living rooms of households across Britain, Europe, the USA and elsewhere, because that is exactly what is going to happen.”
Anthony went on to say, “Have we forgotten that we are soon to be hosting the Soccer World Cup? Do we really want this incredible moment in our country’s history coupled to the most controversial elephant cull in history?”

KRUGER PARK UNSAFE BECAUSE OF CULL?
Expert opinion and common knowledge dictate that the thousands of traumatised elephant that escape death are going to be dangerous to humans. Yet this issue has not been publicly addressed, and no known studies exist.
Kruger has a million unescorted visitors a year. With nearly one out of every two elephant being killed, park authorities must be able to assure visitor safety and, per Anthony, an acknowledged elephant specialist, “Simply put, they can’t, and it may well be irresponsible to keep the park open if the cull goes ahead. And let us not forget, elephants will have long memories of the slaughter. What of the future safety of tourists?
“This cull cannot be wrestled away from our tourism industry; they go hand-in-hand.”

KRUGER PARK “FACTORY FARM”
There is growing concern that profits from the sale of elephant meat, skin, and by-products are the underlying motivation for the cull.
Figures to hand reveal that at only R6, 50 ($1.00) per kg for meat and R65, 00 ($10.00per kg) for skins, the profit will be about R6, 500,000 ($1,000,000) for every eight hundred elephant killed. If the cull of 5,000 – 7,000 elephant takes years as has been mooted, new births will ensure a steady supply of elephant meat, thus generating income for many years.
“This would of course explain the reluctance to fully explore contraception as a viable alternative, for contraception means no births, no meat – no extra income,” said Anthony. “Are we now converting the priceless Kruger Park into a gigantic elephant meat ‘factory farm’ under the guise of a cull? If this perception takes hold it will be a public relations debacle for the country.”

IMPLEMENTATION OF A CONTRACEPTIVE PROGRAM
Leading researchers confirm that, with the use of helicopters, the first phase of the exercise could be completed in a few months. The matriarch of each herd will receive an indelible dye on her back ensuring no duplication of treatment.
Anthony confirmed that associated studies reportedly demonstrate no adverse social reaction amongst treated herds. “Scientists recommend that 20% of females in each herd be left untreated to ensure that infants and young are always within a herd to maintain social structures.
“The program can be complimented with other solutions such as the closure of artificial water points. We need to stop thinking of a cull and start getting creative,” said Anthony.

CONCLUSION
“This is a decision which has significant implications for South Africa on many levels, and Sanparks simplistic push for a slaughter as a sole remedy is deeply troubling for the country,” said Anthony. “What has happened to the research on non hormonal contraception for elephant for which the Parks Board was paid $1million a decade ago by the Humane Society of the United States, when the Kruger Park agreed to refrain from elephant culling? Why did this research have to be done independently to bring us to where we are now?”
The Kruger Park is a South African icon and it behooves us to implement a solution that will enhance Sanparks reputation, and increase tourism, not turn the world against us.
“In view of the fact that the foundation for a workable solution exists, there is clearly no logical or valid need for a cull, and with a little effort and initiative, we can overcome this problem for the country,” said Raper.

GOVERNMENT ADVISORY BOARD
The Earth Organization today announced the formation of an independent government advisory board under the chairmanship of Dr Ian Raper. The board, comprising leading scientists and top experts in the field, will continue the investigation into the matter and report directly to the Minister.

OVERVIEW
“The 21st century is, of necessity, becoming the century of conservation and the environment. Species extinction, global warming, climate change, deforestation, desertification and a host of other tribulations threaten mankind. There is a fast growing awareness that if Homo sapiens are to survive, we urgently need to lift our level of responsibility for the natural world of which we are so much a part.
“As a nation we have failed these elephant which rely entirely upon us for security and a safe home.
“With all of our expertise, knowledge and ability we can certainly find a better solution than the trauma of slaughtering them by the thousands, and in so doing, we can set new ethical standards in elephant and park management which will serve as an example to the rest of the world,” said Anthony.
The Earth Organization will lead a fund raising campaign to prevent the cull, finance further essential research, and implement contraception. To donate please go to www.earthorganization.org