Alicia's love of elephants

Arguably my first love

I have always loved elephants. Always. When my sister liked Disney Princesses, I liked Dumbo. I watch the movie now and find it incredibly depressing, so I have to think it was  that lovable face and floppy ears that drew me in.  I know the story must have registered with me on some level, but there's a lot of "strange" happening in that movie.  And, well,  I've been known to fast forward through depressing moments. It's safe to say that Dumbo in Mom's trunk through the bars is probably the event that started that quirk.  I'm welling up just thinking about it.  Either way, it's clear that my developing brain was sucked in to all things elephant.  Whether I have Walt Disney to thank or the species itself, I was hooked from an early age.

The Hindu God, Ganesha

My favorite toy from childhood was a yellow stuffed elephant that played Brahm's Lullaby.  I have it to this day even if she's a little worse for wear.  I also have countless Dumbo figurines and stuffed animals. He was always by my side growing up, and one of the only things that stopped my epic tantrums.  I have earrings, necklaces and bracelets.  I have stationary and Christmas ornaments.  There's just something about them that I find amazing.

Whenever something speaks strongly to me, I'm always drawn to the symbolic meaning behind it. Perhaps it was being raised by a therapist or growing up with a sister fascinated by Greek Mythology,  Something rubbed off, and now I am fascinated by symbology and meaning.  According to what's-your-sign.com, the reason why I find elephants so attractive is very apropos.  The symbology "deals primarily with strength, honor, stability and patience." All attributes I have, or yearn for.  And then there's the Hindu god Ganesha.  He removes the obstacles that stand in your path, bestows luck and guarantees success and blessings.   Honestly, who wouldn't want to have this guy in your corner?

Nicholas at PAWS' ARK2000 Sanctuary

Every time I look into the eye of an elephant, I feel that they see the world differently than we do.  I was glued to the screen during the 60 Minutes segment about the extraordinary American scientist named Andrea Turkalo.  She has devoted her life to observing a group of wild African elephants.  Through her tireless devotion, she has begun to compile a list of their complex and subtle communications. She's turning these into the very first elephant dictionary. If you haven't seen this segment you have to watch it. I mean! Amazing! Click here to watch it.

The more I learn about these creatures, the more I see them as a giant allegory of our times. About removing the ways of the past without understanding the consequences. We're acting without thinking and not learning along the way.  Add to that the fact that elephants certainly look like creatures from another era. They look more like Wooly Mammoths than they do to any other living animal.  They are giant creatures that need companionship. Loving and supportive beings who have strong emotions like us. They raise their children like we do, mourn like we do and support each other like we do. There habitat is getting destroyed in the name of progress, and we're running out of time to stop it.  We have so much to learn from these animals, and I fear that we will lose them before we learn all there is to know.

So now, dear readers, I may have taken you to the murky place that Jessica calls ISD. This place makes me want to crawl under my covers and just cry and cry.  BUT that's not what we do here at What You Can Do.  We're here to give you simple one minute actions to help.  So, instead of burying your head, check this out.  One of our favorite organizations, Defenders of Wildlife, has a whole page that shows you what you can do to help elephants, and they're all easy 1 minute steps!

In honor of these beauties,  I'm unofficially dubbing this month - Alicia's obsession with Elephants month.  I don't think they'll pass it into law, but it seems natural as many of my activities will be focusing on these gentle giants.  Throughout May, I will contribute a few entries about various things I've learned and organizations we have worked with.

Mara at PAWS' ARK2000 Sanctuary

First of all - my very good friend Sam and I went to the PAWS Elephant Sanctuary in San Andreas this past weekend for their "Seeing the Elephant" weekend getaway.  It was amazing.  I learned so much about the conditions of circus elephants and how we need to educate people, so that they will stop using these animals as spectacle. Without getting on a soapbox, I'll write more about this wonderful sanctuary later.

Secondly, Sam and I are going to see Daphne Sheldrick speak at the American Museum of Natural History next Tuesday.  Dame Sheldrick founded the The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust with her husband, David, in Kenya.  This foudnation rehabilitates orphaned elephants with the goal of releasing them back in to the wild.  It's a team effort between man and elephant (the graduates come back to help for the last part of the journey).   This place is amazing, and I will fill you in on the information that I learn from Dame Sheldrick after her talk.

Speaking of, did anyone see Born to be Wild?  It features Daphne Sheldrick as well Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas who works with orphaned orangutans in Indonesia.   If you haven't seen it, YOU GOTTA!! It's narrated by Morgan Freeman, so you can't go wrong there.  And for a nature film, it's uplifting and hopeful. Don't get me wrong, I cried at several parts, but not because of horror. It was a "good cry" if you will.  So this gives me another topic to discuss as well.

For now, I wanna know what you think?  Do you agree with me? Are elephants intoxicating?  What's your favorite animal?  And If you wanna get involved and help protect these animals right away, consider symbolically adopting one through Defenders of Wildlife.  It only takes a minute. Watch the video below to find out how.

love and elephants,
Alicia

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Support African Wildlife

Think there's nothing you can do to Help African Wildlife in 1 Minute?

Starring - Wilton Yeung
Written by -  Jessica Arinella & Julie Tortorici
Shot, Edited and Directed by - Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group

Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistics Provided by: The African Wildlife Foundation, www.awf.org

Special Thanks: Kurt Redenbo and everyone at The African Wildlife Foundation, and Dennis Arinella

For more information, please visit - www.whatyoucando365.com

An interview with Dr. Philip Muruthi, chief scientist for the African Wildlife Foundation

One of the organizations we’ve worked with for this week’s focus on wildlife extinction is the African Wildlife Foundation www.awf.org). They provided us the opportunity to conduct an email interview with their chief scientist at the Foundation, Dr. Philip Muruthi. See below to read the interview and special thanks for Dr. Muruthi for taking the time to speak with us!

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1. What does a typical day look like for you as African Wildlife Foundation’s chief scientist?

My day usually and naturally will involve some aspect of conservation science. If I am spending my day in the office, I may be helping design AWF’s species conservation strategy or revising it, adapting it to a species, site or landscape. Some of my days are dominated by providing support to existing species conservation projects: helping design, implement, monitor actions and adapt / fit to our landscape approach in the area. As a scientist, I also strive to write papers and articles to communicate our work and share our results with colleagues and other audiences. I support conservation planning such as of protected areas which maintain species and this allows me to interact with protected area authorities and their neighbors – not a purely scientific endeavor but one that needs science. On other days I get to the field and help with research although this aspect of my work dwindles with time as our science team grows and my pillar supportive role grows. I also mentor young biologists which is fun. My job involves quite some travel supporting landscape (and species imbedded within) in eastern, central, southern and western Africa. I guess every conservation scientist “worries” whether or not they will have conserved what they said they would – and that is typical of my 8-10 hour day.


2. African Wildlife Foundation seems to work a lot with the communities that surround endangered wildlife, how does this help the wildlife?

AWF’s approach is beneficial as it ensures that community support to wildlife conservation is enhanced. Community lands are left favorable / friendly to wildlife and the species themselves are not persecuted – the local communities become custodians. Where you have community support and participation, endangered species populations recover and thrive – as in the case of the mountain gorilla. The human communities living with wildlife benefit from its presence on their land – such as through conservation enterprises we help build. Some communities are benefiting from ecotourism projects and many from employment – such as our Grevy’s zebra scouts in Kenya. Working with communities ensures that threats are mitigated in a sustainable manner using the local human resource and institutions we help support.


3. What has surprised you most in your work with the African Wildlife Foundation?

Good question. This has to be the integrated nature of our approach seeking explicitly not only ecological but also livelihood improving results – species imbedded in large landscapes – working with partners, (and especially local communities) and over long-enough periods to achieve these results. AWF’s is a science-based but also pragmatic approach. It is focused on saving habitats / land, species, building capacity and leadership, conservation enterprise development and helping build an enabling policy environment – such as to support not only species but also potential for communities and landowners with wildlife to benefit – creating lasting conservation results.


4. What, if any, misconceptions do you think people have regarding endangered species?

Some people think that endangered species will always be there; they fail to see that extinction is forever. Others think that humans have nothing to do with species’ level of threat and life can continue as usual even as numbers of particular wildlife species become fewer and fewer with time. Others feel that all is lost for endangered species.
But endangered species can be recovered and indeed there are good examples of species recovery stories. And yes, humans have a lot to do with the reason species become endangered. Many species are dependent on conservation intervention (i.e., specific conservation actions) for their continued survival.


5. In light of the horrifying statistics regarding endangered wildlife, do you believe that the damage is reversible?

Yes – but the action must be now not tomorrow for many species. We have to be careful that populations do not go below certain levels because, below certain numbers, the vulnerability to extinction increases and reversing the situation may be impossible.


6. Do you have a favorite species that you work with?

Can we say the rhino? But still I like working with many species including large carnivores, Grevy’s zebra, elephants and others. In my role, I may not do the actual research in the field but provide support to a team of species conservation staff and partners working to save species and their habitats in Africa.

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ON THE LEESH PRODUCTIONS – INTERVIEW RESPONSES BY PHILIP MURUTHI, 25TH JANUARY, 2009.

Protect Africa's Wild Habitats

Think there's nothing you can do to help protect African Wildlife in 1 Minute?

Starring: Karen T. Hartline
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information Provided by: African Wildlife Foundation, www.awf.org

Special Thanks: Kurt Redenbo and everyone at African WIldlife Foundation, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - www.whatyoucando365.com

Protect Africa's Wildlife

Think there's nothing you can do to help protect Africa's Wildlife in 1 Minute?

Starring: Damion Fitz
Written by: Julie Tortorici & Jessica Arinella
Shot, Edited and Directed by: Alicia Arinella
Produced by: On the Leesh Productions
Music by: Banana Whale
What You Can Do Logo Created by: SCG Siddharth Creative Group
Additional Footage Provided by: Shutterstock, Inc. Used by Permission

Statistical Information Provided by: The African Wildlife Foundation, www.awf.org

Special Thanks: Kurt Redenbo and everyone at The African Wildlife Foundation, and Dennis Arinella.

For more information, please visit - www.whatyoucando365.com