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"South Africa: Resolving a Jumbo Problem"
There is something remarkable about the majestic African elephant that goes way beyond the obvious point of its massive size.
There is, as one leading elephant ecologist noted this week, a sense of wonder about these creatures; they are among only a handful of animals that have an inexplicable ability to touch the soul of their human counterparts
So how can we contemplate killing them?
The harsh reality is that, in South Africa at least, humans have now restricted or transformed their natural habitat to such an extent that actively managing elephant populations has become an imperative. Elephants may be wonderfully charismatic, but they are also potentially extremely dangerous and destructive.
We now no longer have a choice - we have to intervene. Just what form that intervention should take in places like the Kruger National Park, where tens of thousands of elephants were culled between 1967 and 1994, has been the subject of intense and often bitter debate between scientists, protected area managers, conservationists and animal lovers around the world.
Heartfelt pleas not to harm any more elephants have been counter-balanced by equally emotional appeals to protect ecosystems and rural communities and their crops from elephant depredations.
Yesterday, the government announced its draft Norms and Standards for Managing Elephants in South Africa that is an attempt to find the most rational compromise between all these conflicting views. This policy, which will be subject to a 60-day public comment period starting tomorrow, includes, as only one management tool, limited culling in particular areas.
We believe the draft policy, derived largely from a specialist elephant working group, is conservative, measured, sensible and well balanced.
It will almost certainly result in some elephant deaths, which we mourn.
But we also believe the "do nothing" alternative is no longer an option - in the long run, the majestic elephants would pay an even higher price and that is certainly not acceptable.
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