Battle for the Elephants

This lecture presents a case study on the illegal world ivory trade and its impacts on African wildlife. It explores concepts covered in the chapter Preserving Biodiversity, A Forest Without Elephants: Can we save one of Earth’s iconic species? in the course textbook  Scientific American Environmental Science for a Changing World.

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Battle for the Elephants

Lecture Video

National Geographic and PBS: Battle for the Elephants

Battle for the Elephants | February 27, 2013 | ~20:00 minutes
Description: “The elephant, Earth’s most charismatic and majestic land animal, today faces market forces driving the value of its tusks to levels once reserved for gold. This groundbreaking National Geographic special goes undercover to expose the criminal network behind ivory’s supply and demand. It also demonstrates how the elephant is far more complex than ever imagined.”

 Smuggling

Elephants in Crisis | October 2012 | National Geographic Magazine | 3:21 minutes

Description: “Reporter Bryan Christy discovers how religion plays a role in the problem of ivory trafficking. From “Blood Ivory,” the October 2012 cover story of National Geographic magazine.”

BBC News: Rhino Horns Sold on the Black Market

Sue Lloyd-Roberts | Rhino horns sold on black market in Asia | February 11, 2014 | BBC News | 8:52 minutes

Description: “Britain is to play host to a gathering in London in a bid to get an international agreement to stop the illegal trade in wildlife. The trade is estimated to be worth more than £6 billion a year, with animals dying in great numbers to meet an appetite from unscrupulous dealers supplying people mainly in Asia.”

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Description: “CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) is an international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.”

Website: CITES