Cyanide & Elephants

Elephants, or loxodonta africana, are quickly becoming endangered -- there are only roughly half a million of them left in the world. The World Wildlife Fund has all sorts of fun facts on elephants.

Way back when it was totally acceptable to hunt animals on mass scales, elephants were prized predominately for their ivory tusks, which were used to make slick looking pianos, among other things. However, since their populations have been dwindling, there are strict laws against poaching these beautiful beasts that have been put in place by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, as well as various African and Asian countries.

But that's not stopping poachers in the Hwange National Park located in Harare, Zimbabwe. Last week, it was reported that up to 64 elephants had been found dead due to cyanide being placed in waterholes. Yesterday, this number had risen to at least 81.

It's been discovered that a South African businessman was behind the poisonings. He wanted the elephants dead so that their ivory could be harvested. A total of nine poachers have since been arrested.

The cyanide in the waterholes, however, it not just affecting elephants -- anything, or anyone, that comes in contact with this water will be at a very high risk of intense sickness and death, depending on the levels of poison consumed. Many predators, such as lions, have also been found dead after eating the elephant carcasses. As a result, the Zimbabwean has issued an ecological disaster.

This incident is troubling on many levels. The first, and most obvious, being the destruction of so much innocent wildlife. The fact that such a powerful poison was placed in an open water supply is extremely haunting. These poachers were so determined to get elephant tusks that they placed additional animals, as well as potential humans, at risk for their lives. There is no excuse for such outlandish behaviour. The ecological effects of this event will be long-lasting; the water will sink into the ground and have negative effects on future crops, as well as a direct effect on animals and humans alike in the surrounding area.

Additional strain is also now on the government to not only crack down on poaching laws, but also establish new regulations to stop such a devastating event from occurring again. Environmentalists and animal rights activists have already began lobbying for stricter laws, and the government has said they will act as soon as they can, and within reason.

Poaching, however, has been a severe issue for generations, and not one that is easily combatted. Poachers often work within illegal networks that are not easily detected, and therefore not easily stopped. The necessarily supplies and time needed to combat this issue will be costly.

Needless to say, this extreme violation of poaching laws, and unnecessary slaughter of wildlife, is heartbreaking. One can only hope that a resolution will quickly be put in place, and that all necessary actions will be carried out to preserve the elephants, and other wildlife, that are still struggling.