Kylie Butler

International Intern

After a week where each day of elephant (and other wildlife) sighting just became more beautiful and fascinating, yesterday exposed the ugly reality of conservation. I guess it was a firsthand experience of the reason we all became involved in the first place, and the reasons we must continue working for conservation, not only of elephants but all animals.

Out with Lucy and Joseph looking for sound experiment opportunities, we came across Resilience: collapsed in the baking midday sun but still alive. It was awful to see such a large majestic elephant in pain and distress like that. Lucy called the KWS vet but we had a long wait with Resilience before he could arrive and make the decision to euthanize. We could do nothing except pour what little water the KWS rangers could spare over her, and hold a kikoy over her face to provide a little bit of shading. At one point while we were holding the kikoy, tears were coming from Resilience’s eye. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the sadness in her eye as she lay there dying; unable to move, her body shaking and convulsing, separated from her family. When the KWS vet arrived it was a relief to see her misery ended, but then the unpleasant tasks of retrieving the bullets for identification, and removing the tusks so they can be kept stockpiled safely.

It is unfathomable to think how any human could impose the cruelty and pain inflicted upon Resilience, in a vain attempt to steal tusks: items used for no purpose other than to satisfy greed and vanity. But the reality is that so long as the demand for ivory is there, poaching is unlikely to diminish. It is a tragedy to be losing such beautiful animals, and such an important member of the ecosystem, for no valid reason at all.

Kylie