Elephants are truly remarkable creatures. They are a matriarchal society, forming tightly knit families called herds led by the eldest female. Elephants of course have a remarkable memory, recognizing past watering holes, grazing areas and lost herd members. The traditional African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” applies directly to the elephant, as when a calf is born, it is raised by the entire family. Elephants display grief, fear and joy, and they mourn their dead.

The largest land mammal on Earth is in danger, but we can be the generation to save them.

Elephants are popular for a dark reason — their tusks. Poachers and trophy hunters alike track, kill and brutalize elephants for their ivory. Elephant populations have plummeted due to the illegal ivory trade pushed by both African and Asian countries. The biggest buyer? China.

The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) has a ban on the international trade of ivory — a ban that has been active since the 1990s. However, two exemptions in 1999 and 2008 opened the door to trade of ivory stockpiles. Since these exemptions, there has been a spike in illegal trade as poachers seek to satisfy the ever-increasing demands of Asian buyers.

Elephant populations were documented at around 352,271 with their habitat ranging across 18 countries, yet these numbers decreased by an estimated 144,000 from 2007 to 2014, and populations are currently shrinking 8 percent per year throughout Africa. Protected National Parks where many of the remaining populations live are in danger. Government corruption is leading to illegal access and poaching on park grounds, resulting in devastating losses.

In 2016, Chobe National Park discovered 26 of their elephants had been brutally murdered, faces butchered in order to remove the entirety of the tusk. In January 2012, heavily armed poachers stormed into Bouba Ndjida Park, killing 300 elephants in less than a week. In total they have claimed the number is around 650, about 50 percent of the entire population.

(Warning: graphic images below)

There have been attempts to halt the unnecessary murder of both Asian and African elephants. There have been public burnings of ivory stock piles. National Parks are hiring armed rangers, authorizing them to "shoot to kill" poachers on site.Organizations like World Wildlife Fund, Defenders of Wildlife and Save the Elephants are working tirelessly to raise awareness to the growing issue, as well as funding to aid other National Parks and programs. You can help support the cause by raising money, boycotting companies that support trophy hunting or poaching (NRA strategist Tony Makris and Jimmy John Liautaud, the CEO of Jimmy Johns, to name a few) and keeping the pressure on governments as well as CITES to protect the remaining elephant populations.

All life has intrinsic value, regardless of if they are beneficial to human life. Be the generation who cares. Save the elephants.