[deleted]
Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
11–20 of 42 posts
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#12I may be about to say something stupid, but couldn't we preemptively cut out the tusks from wild elephants so that there would be no point in poaching them?
Are tusks necessary for elephants to cut through the bush? I see elephants who don't have tusks in documentaries all the time, so I'm wondering.
And even if tusks are necessary, maybe we could replace the originals with prosthesis (of a different color) -- certainly not an easy task on a wild elephant, but worth a try maybe??
Or just somehow ruin the tusks while leaving them in place? Scratch them, turn them in a different color, something?
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#13So happy to see Yao using his influence for good. I think Chinese consumption of shark fin and ivory are more habits than desire. Habits can change through education.
I'm not sure status symbols are as simple as "habits or desire". And that's what shark fins and ivory are to the chinese, much like caviar to westerners (and with similar consequences on providing creatures).
You might be able to fix "traditional medecine" issues (which China has in droves) using education, but status symbols acquisition is not about illiteracy or lack of education. You can only fix the problem through social shaming, by reversing those status and making them status of bad taste.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#14So happy to see Yao using his influence for good. I think Chinese consumption of shark fin and ivory are more habits than desire. Habits can change through education.
I'm not sure status symbols are as simple as "habits or desire". And that's what shark fins and ivory are to the chinese, much like caviar to westerners (and with similar consequences on providing creatures). You might be able to fix "traditional medecine" issues (which China has in droves) using education, but status symbols acquisition is not about illiteracy or lack of education. You can only fix the problem throu…
The article links to another article which suggests that the popularity of shark fin soup has been falling http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/in-china-victory-for-wil... supposedly partially thanks to Yao Ming's involvement.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#15I may be about to say something stupid, but couldn't we preemptively cut out the tusks from wild elephants so that there would be no point in poaching them? Are tusks necessary for elephants to cut through the bush? I see elephants who don't have tusks in documentaries all the time, so I'm wondering. And even if tusks are necessary, maybe we could replace the originals with prosthesis (of a different color) -- certai…
> I may be about to say something stupid, but couldn't we preemptively cut out the tusks from wild elephants so that there would be no point in poaching them?
De-horning programs were started for rhinos in the 90s following that idea, which theoretically held up (despite being a risk to the animal, you have to put him to sleep which may kill him, and de-horning remains traumatic). De-horned rhinos still got poached: http://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/issues_for_debate/de-...
There's little reason to believe elephants would fare better, sadly.
> Are tusks necessary for elephants to cut through the bush?
They're for battle (defence against predators animals as well as combats between males, in these case they also act as "bumpers" to protect the fragile trunk), and hard tasks: the trunk handles precision stuff, the tusks are used to move crap out of the way, dig for water or roots, removing bark from trees.
They're not technically necessary, although tuskless elephants are less fit.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#16[deleted]
These too are changing. In China, the highly educated are becoming involved in social advocacy for the environment and starting to avoid smoking. Smoking is still very common in Europe and increasing in France, despite the public health initiatives, high taxes, bans and public knowledge. Unfortunately, if these issues are seen as "status symbols" in China, we may see the populist backlash that we see in some countries such as the US where it is seen as "American" to drive SUVs, live in large, energy-consuming houses, and ignore climate change -- which is destroying a lot of wildlife.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#17So happy to see Yao using his influence for good. I think Chinese consumption of shark fin and ivory are more habits than desire. Habits can change through education.
I'm not sure status symbols are as simple as "habits or desire". And that's what shark fins and ivory are to the chinese, much like caviar to westerners (and with similar consequences on providing creatures). You might be able to fix "traditional medecine" issues (which China has in droves) using education, but status symbols acquisition is not about illiteracy or lack of education. You can only fix the problem throu…
Another factor besides habit and status: perhaps Chinese culture is simply more accepting of animal cruelty?
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm not sure status symbols are as simple as "habits or desire". And that's what shark fins and ivory are to the chinese, much like caviar to westerners (and with similar consequences on providing creatures). You might be able to fix "traditional medecine" issues (which China has in droves) using education, but status symbols acquisition is not about illiteracy or lack of education. You can only fix the problem throu…
Another factor besides habit and status: perhaps Chinese culture is simply more accepting of animal cruelty?
"Western culture" has very similar (and extant wrt sturgeons amongst others if mostly curbed when it comes to mammals) issues, Chinese weren't the ones slaughtering charismatic megafauna for fun and status symbols in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#19So happy to see Yao using his influence for good. I think Chinese consumption of shark fin and ivory are more habits than desire. Habits can change through education.
Don't forget rhinoceros horns http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros#Horn_trade_and_use
Re: Yao Ming aims to save Africa's elephants by persuading China to give up ivory
#20You guys should consider donating to the International Anti-Poaching Foundation[0][1] which fights these poachers. The founder, Damien Mander[2], is an Australian ex spec-ops sniper who is using his military experience to train the park rangers since they, unlike the poachers, tend to be poorly equipped and trained as well as understaffed. There is also the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust[3][4] which takes care of ele…
We are sorry to inform you that your little fella is dead.