Today is World Elephant Day, a global event held annually on 12 August dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. It’s a great opportunity to remind ourselves about how important it is to protect these beautiful creatures against harm, including poaching.
Today is World Elephant Day, a global event held annually on 12 August dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. It’s a great opportunity to remind ourselves about how important it is to protect these beautiful creatures against harm, including poaching.
Luckily, our company takes this issue very seriously! EPI-USE Labs is part of Group Elephant, which owns and funds a non-profit entity, called Elephants, Rhinos & People ('ERP'), focusing on the preservation of at-risk elephants through the economic upliftment of rural communities living adjacent to these threatened species. One percent of our annual revenue is channelled into this programme, with a 100% pass-through to the beneficiaries of the projects. ERP’s inspirational projects – such as ERP Honey, the ERP Melorane Game Reserve project, BIKES4ERP and ERP Air Force – are having a positive impact on people on the ground, while benefiting elephants.
Our roots stem from South Africa, and the threat against elephants in Africa is very real. Africa’s wild elephant and rhino populations are being driven to the edge of extinction due to the demand for elephant ivory and rhino horn, human-elephant conflict, and wildlife trafficking. Over the past 60 years, more than 4.5 million elephants have been killed. The horrifying truth is that Africa is losing approximately four elephants every hour.
Whether trying to protect a herd of threatened elephants or an individual rhino, ERP’s goal is to protect and preserve elephants and rhinos in the wild in Southern Africa, through an innovative rural poverty alleviation-based strategy, as well as through the use of a range of tactical interventions.
Recognising that wildlife conservation issues are often framed largely around the impact on biodiversity and not the impact on people, ERP works with poverty-stricken communities that share their land with wildlife. By building sustainable economic engines for rural communities in areas adjacent to the threatened species, ERP provides viable, non-lethal alternatives to poaching as a source of community income.
Why are elephants so important to the ecosystem?
Elephants are sometimes referred to as ‘ecosystem engineers’ because they play an indispensable role in maintaining the health and balance of their habitat.
One of the ways in which they have a positive impact on their environment is thanks to their role as seed dispersers. As they travel through their territories, elephants consume a wide variety of plants, from fruits to leaves. These journeys lead to the distribution of seeds over great distances, aiding forest regeneration and promoting genetic diversity. The survival and proliferation of numerous plant species depends on this symbiotic relationship between elephants and the plants they feed on.
Also, elephants' feeding habits and large size contribute to shaping the physical landscape. Their methodical movements through the bush and grasslands create pathways that other animals use, facilitating the flow of energy and nutrients through the ecosystem.
South Africa's elephant population also plays a key role in combating climate change. Forests and woodlands sequester carbon dioxide, one of the main greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. By contributing to the health and expansion of these habitats, elephants indirectly help in the fight against climate change.
Why else do I love elephants?
I have always been captivated by these gentle giants, with their immense size combined with graceful movements and a high level of intelligence. The more I learn about elephants, the deeper my admiration becomes!
What can we do to protect them?
This brings me back to the importance of today: to help preserve this species, and educate the world about the horrifying impact of the ivory trade. The demand for ivory drives the poaching of elephants, and the consequences of this brutality extends far beyond the animals. The ripple effect affects every aspect of the ecosystem, upsetting the balance that has evolved over time. As elephant populations decline, so do the benefits they bring to their environment.
Help us do more in our fight against poaching. Join our cause by donating funds to ERP – find more info or donate here.
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