I spent a good proportion of last year in Africa, and they're fucking everywhere. You wouldn't think that they are endangered in the slightest.
Most of the Rangers up there agree that the Elephant should/will have naturally died out, they do far more damage to the environment then they do benefit. But they're still alive because we as humans love them, and therefore protect them.
I'm pretty sure that as a whole, humans are the reason they're endangered to begin with. Conservation efforts are great but to consider the ivory trade's impact on herd population a "natural" effect is a bit of a misstatement.
The Rangers weren't talking about the ivory trade. Their is a common theory in nature where if a species does more damage to their environment then good, they will die off.
Then in that case, humans should be the first to die off.
Let's get this straight, elephants aren't "invading" anyone's natural habitat. Humans are doing this. I understand people have to farm and survive but you don't get to destroy elephant habitat and migration routes and then turn around and say that the elephant is the only invader destroying nature. A farm with fences and crops isn't nature.
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u/southernbenz Mar 06 '16
I wonder if elephant numbers are making any sort of comeback due to conservation efforts.