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The Value of Elephants: Rands and Sense

The Value of Elephants: Rands and Sense. Audrey Delsink. Background. Research Ecologist at Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve (1998 – 2017) MSc: The Costs and Consequences of Immunocontraception on Free-ranging Elephants at Makalali Game Reserve (UKZN)

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The Value of Elephants: Rands and Sense

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  1. The Value of Elephants: Rands and Sense Audrey Delsink

  2. Background • Research Ecologist at Greater Makalali Private Game Reserve (1998 – 2017) • MSc: The Costs and Consequences of Immunocontraception on Free-ranging Elephants at Makalali Game Reserve (UKZN) • Field Director of Immunocontraception in African Elephants • PhD: Management Interventions as drivers of elephant movements (UKZN) • Field work in Kruger National Park • Registered SACNASP Ecologist • Independent Consultant for private and provincial reserves • Lived with and monitored Makalali elephants for 20 years

  3. South Africa & Elephants • ± 25,000 elephants in RSA • 1968 - 1994 – culling in KNP • 1995 - moratorium on culling • In 2006, Scientific Round Table convened by Minister • 1: Little evidence of urgent need to cull in KNP • 2: Differentiated solutions needed • 2007 – Elephant Assessment • 2 important publications: • Elephant Management: A Scientific Assessment for South Africa (Eds: Scholes & Mennell 2008, Wits University Press) • National Norms & Standards of Elephant Management in South Africa gazetted (DEAT 2008)

  4. The Economic Value of Elephants Blignaut, J et al. 2008. The Economic Value of Elephants. In R. Scholes & K. Mennell (Eds.), Elephant Management: A Scientific Assessment for South Africa (pp. 446-476). Johannesburg: Wits University Press.

  5. The Economics of Elephants Blignaut, J et al. 2008. The Economic Value of Elephants. In R. Scholes & K. Mennell (Eds.), Elephant Management: A Scientific Assessment for South Africa (pp. 446-476). Johannesburg: Wits University Press. • Elephants are worth much more alive than dead!

  6. Different Values of Elephants Twine, W & Magome, H. 2008. Interactions with People and Elephants. In R. Scholes & K. Mennell (Eds.), Elephant Management: A Scientific Assessment for South Africa (pp. 206-240). Johannesburg: Wits University Press.

  7. Guiding Principles of Elephant Management in South Africa Guiding Principles: Norms and Standards of Elephant Management in South Africa (2008)

  8. Challenging Traditional Thinking (1) • Chronic exposure to stressors = detrimental effects associated with restricted space use, and altered habitat preferences and behavioural consequences (Gobush et al., 2008; Jachowski et al., 2012; Wingfield and Romenofsky, 1997) • Elephants can also become victims of past traumas and exhibit symptoms of PTSD years after the experience; once in captive situations elephants endure severe physical and psychological hardship (Bradshaw & Lindner 2015) • Potential long-term negative consequences of acute social disruption in cognitively advanced species that live in close-knit kin-based societies (Shannon et al. 2013) • Scales of management assessment not biologically relevant to elephant = spatial and temporal scale mismatches (Delsink et al. 2013) • Non-human Rights Project - petitions for a common law writ of habeas corpus for elephants and other species

  9. Challenging Traditional Thinking (2) • Prof. Rob Slotow, Co-Chair IUCN AfESG, Pretoria, July 2019

  10. HSI-Africa’s Campaigns for Elephants (1) • Immunocontraception to reduce local elephant population densities & Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) e.g. Nomangele Community Trust, Ithala, Indian MoEFF • 28 reserves with >900 females on treatment (includes private, provincial and national reserves)

  11. HSI-Africa’s Campaigns for Elephants (2) • Non-lethal methods of HEC mitigation and “problem elephant control” • Riff Raff destruction interdict & translocation efforts • Tusk-bracing to curb fence breaching • Satellite collar deployment to promote proactive management

  12. HSI-Africa’s Campaigns for Elephants (3) • Together with EMS & ERT, release of Johannesburg zoo elephant Lammie to a rewilding facility • Gauteng legislature petition lodged (F4W/EMS/BAT/HSI, 300k signatures) • Subsequently, 2 additional elephants added from Inkwenkwezi • Massive public support; zoo threatens legal action against BAT & NSPCA

  13. HSI-Africa’s Campaigns for Elephants (4) • Together with PES Law Network and many Zimbabwean NGO’s, banning capture of wild elephants for captivity • Submitted letter to USFWS supported by 55 elephants specialists • Celebrity sign-on letter elevated specialist letter and plight of wild-caught baby elephants. Initiated by HSI with Brigitte Bardot Foundation, The Born Free Foundation, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, World Animal Protection and the Species Survival Network.

  14. Thank You EMS Foundation, panellists and attendees “As our understanding of the animal psyche evolves, so must our definition of what ethical treatment looks like”. Sarah Kasbeer 2019 adelsink@hsi.org

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