Elephant poaching is a serious problem. According to a report from the University of San Francisco, an elephant is illegally killed every 15-minutes. That statistic works out to 100 elephants a day. These animals are hunted for their impressive ivory tusks. There is a sizeable demand on the black market for the product. Very sad indeed.
In Kruger National Park in South Africa, a suspected poacher was reportedly killed by an elephant. According to a report from USA Today, the poacher was killed by the elephant and then abandoned by his accomplices. His body was left to be discovered by park officials. The is no doubt that there is a bit of irony in this situation.
South African authorities have been cracking down on elephant poaching and arrests are up 30% this summer. Studies show that elephants are evolving to be born without tusks as a method of survival. In the 1970s, 18.5% of female elephants in Gorongosa National Park were born without tusks. In 2021, 51% of female elephants in the national park are born without tusks.
Images from: Kruger National Park Facebook Page
