Elephants are beautiful, gentle giants that we are viciously taking away from this world. They are the largest land animal on Earth and are one of the gentlest creatures. Most live in Africa and Asia but are brought to other places for the entertainment of humans.

These animals are in great danger and are on their way to extinction. The Sumatran Elephant is critically endangered, the Asian, Borneo Pygmy, Indian and Sri Lankan Elephants are endangered, and the African, Forest and Savanna Elephants are Vulnerable. If human-kind keeps treating elephants the way we are, there will be a time where generations won’t even know what an elephant is.

There has been more conflict between elephants and people because as the human population increases, we are building into the elephant’s habitat and taking over their land. There are so many other places to build and humans have no reason to go into these elephant’s homes and harm them. Elephants are killed in retaliation for trying to protect themselves, which adds to their endangerment.

Poaching and ivory trafficking were banned in 1989 after hundreds of thousands of elephants were being killed for their ivory. There has been an increase in illegal ivory trafficking in recent years and humans are leading the way to elephant extinction.

I recently saw a video on Facebook posted by Dodo Impact about what happens to elephants before humans ride them for entertainment. I used to want to ride an elephant because I think they are beautiful and kind creatures, but a better way to show my love for them is to let them be. The video revealed that baby elephants are taken away from their homes and families to be trained and obey orders. These babies are starved and beaten until they learn to obey and give proper rides. These elephants don’t have any interactions with other elephants and are only brought out of isolation when their next ride comes along.

Even though there are so many people harming elephants and carving the path to extinction, there are people and places that help so many elephants. There are sanctuaries that rescue elephants and help them live happy and healthy lives. If you love elephants and want to see them, visit a sanctuary and not a tourist spot to ride one.

A few sanctuaries that are dedicated to saving abused elephants are The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, Boon Lotts Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand, Performing Animal Welfare Society in California, Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, and The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. These sanctuaries are saving neglected elephants so we will not have to live a day where elephants no longer exist. Help protect these kind creatures.

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&page=2&sort=extinction_status

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/elephants/african_elephants/afelephants_threats/

https://www.facebook.com/DodoImpact/videos/1661956517154768/UzpfSTEwMDAwMDI4MTEzODA2NjoxOTM4MjE5NTcyODY0MDYy/

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/elephant-sanctuaries/