RUNNING HEAD: WHY WOULD IT MATTER?

Adeline Wright
108-136 Dr MLK Blvd
Newark, NJ 07104

December 13, 2016

Meaghan Calnan,
Grant Manager of National Geographic Expeditions
Communications Department
1145 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

Dear Ms. Calnan,

National geographic is a non-profit organization that both teaches and inspires people. It
provides a platform for individuals to educate the public on scientific, historic, and cultural
inquiries and discoveries. The Committee for research and exploration awards grants to
individuals with the same goals. I am applying for the Hypothesis- Driven grant to do research
that proves elephants are essential to their ecosystem because elephants are officially vulnerable
on the conservation status. They play an important role in their ecosystem, especially during dry
season, and if they disappear, the mammals that depend on them will lose an important water and
food source.
The main causes of their decrease in population are poaching for ivory and a slow
maturation and gestation period. The Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is responsible for the protection of vulnerable and endangered
species. However, since elephants are in Appendix II of the Ivory Trade Ban, restrictions are not
as strict in countries where the population of elephants are highest. Moving elephants to
Appendix I would make using any part of them illegal, however it would cause international
bedlam.
A better solution is for CITES to mandate a minimum punishment within each country
for poachers. My research will prove that elephants are vital enough within their ecosystems to
provide a better understanding of the impact should elephants disappear, and convince CITES to
amend the Ivory Trade Ban. I plan to print my findings via a peer-reviewed research paper, and
have the National Geographic film crew create a documentary about it. My findings along with
the documentary will gain public support and put enough pressure on CITES.
If you have any questions regarding my proposal or would like to meet dont hesitate to
contact me via email Adeline.wright@gmail.com or phone (347) 549- 2026. Thank you for your
time and consideration. I look forward to discussing this further in the future.

Sincerely,

Adeline Wright

Why Would It Matter If The Elephant Population Disappeared?

WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 2

Submitted by:
Adeline Wright

Submitted to:
Meaghan Calnan
Grant Manager of National Geographic Expeditions
Communications Department
1145 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

Date: December 13, 2016

Scientific & Technical Writing

Professor D. Saville

Katrina Pete/Etsy.com

Abstract
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 3

Due to slow gestation, maturation, and illegal poaching for ivory, the elephant population has
been steadily decreasing. The global population dropped from 1.3 million in 1979 to 353,000 in
2016 (Lemieux & Clarke 2009; Chokshi & Gettleman 2016). Elephants are important members
of their ecosystems; especially during dry season. Studies show that they diminish large
vegetation which create grasslands for smaller mammals. They also help pollinate the vegetation
throughout the desert and create watering holes when there are no other water sources present. If
the elephant population were to disappear, that would throw the ecosystem out of its natural
cycle, and have detrimental effects on the mammals that are dependent upon them. A research
team will observe two herds of elephants during dry season in their natural habitat for two
months. The goal is to prove that during the dry season, elephants are responsible for a
considerable amount of the watering holes created, and that a wide range of mammals depend on
these water sources.

Table of Contents
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 4

Abstract ..... iii

Table of Contents .. iv
Table of Figures ....iv
Introduction ... 1
Elephants are Vulnerable ..1
Ivory Usage .. 2
CITES ... 2
Literature Review .. 3
Elephants Create Grasslands ....3
Elephants Contribute to Pollination ..4
Elephants Create Watering Holes..4
Impact on Other Mammals......4
Plan of Action ....5
Preparation ...5
Data Collection .5
Safety .6
Gain Public Support ..6
Budget ....6
Justification ...7
Discussion ..8
End Notes ...8
Appendix ....9
References ..9

Table of Figures
Figure 1: Elephant Population 1979- 19891
Figure 2: Research Teams .....5
Figure 3: Estimated Budget Breakdown ...7
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 1

Introduction
Elephants Are Vulnerable
The Elephant population has decreased by 30% in the last seven years (Chokshi & Gettleman
2016). The main cause for the decrease in the elephant population is poaching and the illegal
selling of ivory on the black market. Brendan Moyle performed a study comparing international
shipping rates and the stockpile seizures in Africa, which can be correlated to poaching and the
illegal selling of ivory. Results showed that a huge factor for smuggling patterns is the shipping
cost. When shipping rates are high, criminal organizations stockpile and build up the ivory
theyve harvested. Once the shipping rates drop, they ship all of the ivory at once and gain more
profit selling in bulk. Refer to Appendix A to view a graph that illustrates this between 1996 and
2008. The bold line with black square plots nearest the top of the graph represents seizures over
1,000 kg. To put that into perspective, 2.2kg ~ 1lb; therefore, these are seizures over 2,200 lbs.
Between 2003 and 2004, the shipping rates skyrocketed and seizure dropped from 18,000 to
2,000 total seizures, whereas after 2008, the shipping rates plummeted and total seizures
increased from 4,000 to over 20,000 (Moyle 2014). Regardless of the shipping rates, refugees
continue to poach and stockpile the ivory because eventually the shipping rates will drop and
selling on the black market will be profitable again.

According to Andrew Lemieux and Ronald Clarke (2009), between 1979 and 2007, 37
countries in Africa with elephants continues to lose substantial numbers of them (p451). As you
can see in Figure 1, between 1979 and 1989 the global population dropped from 1.3 million to
600,000; a 46% decrease in just ten years. This averages out to a 10.7% decrease every two
years.

Figure 1: Elephant Population 1979- 1989

WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 2

The population dropped approximately 8% between 2010 and 2012 (Lemieux & Clarke;
Wittemyer et al n.d.) In comparison the poaching per year decreased, however the rate is still
unsustainable to the population. An updated survey from 2016 showed that just 352,000 African
elephants were surveyed across the savanna region. Currently, most of the remaining global
population is in Zimbabwe and Botswana (Chokshi & Gettleman 2016).

Elephants are not able to repopulate quickly enough to reach sustainability on their own. The
long gestation period and maturation time make it very difficult. Adult females and children form
herds and travel with or without adult males (bulls) who typically are nomadic and search for
other herds to breed (Elephant Channel TV). After successful conception, elephants have a
gestation period of 656 days or 22 months. They have the longest gestation period of all land
based mammals (Stansfield, F., Nothling, J., Stoley, J., Allen, W. n.d.). Mothers generally calve
or give birth around springtime when food and water is abundant. The new calf is dependent
upon the mothers milk until they reach five years of age when they can start to eat vegetation.
These elephants reach maturity to breed at age 18, but typically mate at 22 years old (Smith
1991). The adult female gives birth every two years at most, and the calves dont breed until after
20 years, so the production of another fertile elephant takes at least 22 years. Another challenge
is that Nomadic bulls are targeted by poachers because their tusks produce the best ivory for
market. During mating season, if a bull is not already a part of the herd this becomes yet another
obstacle due to the decrease of intact males.

Ivory Usage
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 3

There is no justifiable reason to harvest ivory because it does not serve as an important tool in
our society. Historically, ivory was harvested for Chinese medicine and luxury items such as
piano keys, dominoes, statues, and furnishings, but now it is harvested for expensive jewelry.
Since 2008, all ivory shipments over 500kg have been destined for Asia (Moyle 2014). Ivory is
still popular in China because they use it to make elaborate and expensive ornaments and some
feel that owning ivory makes them look successful (BBC 2015). In consensus, President George
Bush banned the importation of ivory from all countries in a move to preserve the wild
elephant in 1989(R.S. 1989). The U.S. is one of the big powers, a country that is highly
developed economically and technologically, and has an important influence on the rest of the
world. After this ban, CITES took action of its own to protect the elephant.

CITES
CITES is currently comprised of 143 governments which vote on conservation and species
specific regulations, two sister programs were mandated to monitor the status of these species.
The first program, Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE), was created to globally
monitor the killing of elephants and record the data. The second program Elephant Trade
Information System (ETIS) was created in 1997 to track illegal ivory trade (Moyle 2014;
Underwood, F., Burn, R., & Milliken T. 2013). All 143 governments apart of CITES are required
to report all illegal ivory seizures within 90 days. This is the source of data that Moyle used for
his study of shipping rates and stockpile seizures. To take more effective action, the Ivory Trade
ban was voted in during a convention in 1989 after MIKE to protect the African elephant and the
results were in favor 76 to 11 (Sands & Bedecarre 1990). The ban consists of two appendices;
appendix I lists endangered species that cannot be poached for any reason, such as tigers and
rhinos. Appendix II lists species that are monitored for sustainability (Bale 2016).

Elephants are in Appendix I outside of Zimbabwe and Botswana because the population in other
locations are far too small. Elephants are in Appendix II in Zimbabwe and Botswana since that is
where most of the remaining global population remains. In early October, CITES held a
convention to update the Ivory Trade Ban. The first proposal from two members was to legalize
domestic ivory trade in Zimbabwe and Namibia. The second proposal was to move elephants up
to Appendix I, which would protect them permanently. Zimbabwe and Namibia threatened the
organization by asserting that they would continue their ivory trade without regard for the new
regulation should the second proposal get approved. Ultimately, none of the proposals were
approved, and so the poaching continues (Bale 2016).

The punishment for illegal poaching varies in each country depending on the case. The highest
punishment to date entailed the confiscation of the ivory and the defendant faced a $233,00 fine
or a seven- year imprisonment if he could not meet the payment. Kenya was able to charge the
poacher so strongly because they recently enacted the Wildlife Conservation and management
Act which raised the penalty in 2014. Poachers were previously fined at least a dollar for each
piece of ivory found, with a maximum of a $280 fine or five-year imprisonment. The new act
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 4

ensures a minimum of a $7,000 fine or 10-year imprisonment and a maximum of life

imprisonment including the $233,000 fine (Guest Blogger 2014).

Literature Review
The impact of elephants on the ecosystem has been widely discussed. The information below
pinpoints the ecological role elephants play in regards to vegetation, pollination, and most
importantly, watering holes. This information is vital in order to approximate which parts of the
ecosystem will be interrupted should the elephant population disappear. The following also
proposes a method of identifying the range of mammals that that elephants influence by
providing water sources.

Elephants Create Grasslands

Edson Gandiwa et al. did a study that focused on the impact of African elephants on Acacia
tortilis woodland in northern Gonarezhou National Park, Zimbabwe. They chose 824 woody
plants consisting of 26 breeds and separated them into low medium and high usage for the study.
This was measured by recording stats of the vegetation via trunk density, tree height, plant
diversity, and the number of stems per plant in relation to their distance from piles of elephant
dung. The results showed that the average tree height, diversity, and density were higher in low
elephant usage bushes and significantly lower in high elephant usage bushes. Elephants favor the
A. tortilis breed and the absence of this specie within each bush was considered a loss of plant
diversity. The researchers concluded that the elephant diet was causing a decline in the A. tortilis
species. By clearing out thick bushes of vegetation, they leave the land open for grasslands to
develop for smaller herbivores to eat.

Elephants Contribute to Pollination

Gandiwa stated in his study that the African elephant is a highly valuable species, which has
major ecological influence on savanna dynamics, playing significant roles in nutrient cycling,
seed dispersal and as a result they are considered as keystone (p809). One of the large
vegetation elephants consume produce seeds rich in nutrients. Since elephants use only 60% of
what they consume, the rest is defecated out of their system and some mammals rely on the
nutrients they pass on (Elephant Channel TV). This is also a vital step in the pollination process
because there is not enough wind in the desert to carry the seeds. Lance Miller, Michael Chase,
and Charlotte Hacker did a study comparing walking rates of wild elephants in Botswana and
elephants in the San Diego Zoo in order to see if captive elephants get the minimum amount of
exercise needed. Results showed that the walking rates were about the same and that elephants
walk up to 24 miles in a day if necessary. This is the distance that elephants can spread the seeds
of vegetation they consume.

Elephants Create Watering Holes

WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 5

If an elephant herd is not able to access a natural or artificial water source, they create one. They
usually migrate around a water source or to another if theirs has dried up. Claudia Stommel,
Heribert Hofer, Mirjam Grobbel, and Marion east did a study to determine if some large African
mammals dig water holes to access better water quality. In Ruaha National Park, Tanzania they
monitored 10 sites along the river and 8 sites separate from the river for surface water
availability and quality during three dry seasons. They measured salinity and bacterial load from
each study site beforehand; after the study period they measured salinity and bacterial load of
both the study sites and water holes dug up by wildlife. After comparing the measurements, they
concluded that water holes were dug more often at sites away from the river as opposed to along
the river; also that it was dug more likely when the available water sources had more bacteria
present. This suggest that the water holes are not only dug in the absence of surface water, but to
provide better quality. Out of the 26 water holes dug by wildlife, they were able to observe 11.
Seven were dug by elephants, two by zebras, one by a baboon, and one by a warthog. They also
observed that four herbivores; a monkey, guinea fowl, and two game species; drunk from the
water sources dug by wildlife.

Impact on Other Mammals

There have been previous studies that observed elephant behavior around water sources during
dry season. The closest research study that can serve as a model is the observation of water
quality in Tanzania by Stommel, Hofer, Grobbel and Marion which observed which species dug
water holes during the dry season. However, the study doesnt focus specifically on the water
holes that elephants dig up. There is a lack of information regarding the ecological impact should
elephants be removed from the ecosystem. There is no research data that lists the species
dependent on water sources created by elephants, or how much of the water sources in these
ecosystems are provided by the elephant during dry season. The observational research plan
described below aims to collect this information.

Plan of Action
Preparation
The research team consists of five college interns, three paramedics, two geographers, and one
exotic veterinarian. The study will take place during the dry season in Zimbabwe and Botswana
where most of the elephant population resides. The team will follow around and observe two
herds of elephants for two months and record where and how many water holes they create. They
will also record which mammals and how many of each species use the watering holes that
elephants create. The research team will break up into three teams to carry out the study. Group
A and B will each consist of a geographer, guide, paramedic, and college intern. Group C will
consist of the veterinarian, a guide, a paramedic, and three college interns.
Figure 2: Research Teams
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 6

Data Collection
Figure 2 above shows the intended goals of each research group. Group A and Group B will track
their respective herds for the duration of the two months using a jeep provided by the guide. The
geographer in each group will chart where each water hole was dug, and the college intern will
relate to Group C the location of the water hole. Group C will observe each water hole that they
are notified of for two weeks. The veterinarian will record what species use the water source and
tally how many of each species uses it. The college interns will transcribe the data onto a laptop
via excel sheets.

Safety
The safety of those participating in this research trip is very important; both the elephants and the
research team face a possible run in with poachers. They carry loaded weapons and do not
hesitate to shoot witnesses and or authorities. The guides on this trip will be armed, and each
member of the research team will have insurance from Good Neighbor Insurance. The research
team will be using the Emergency Evacuation High Risk Areas package which covers 90 days of
unlimited travel internationally. This service provides emergency evacuation (medical
transportation) and travel security in the case of political threats, disappearance, terrorism,
wrongful detention, and kidnap and ransom. It also provides crisis response in the case of
evacuation and rescue, emergency translation, emergency communication to family, and general
medical insurance (Good Neighbor Insurance 2016). The guides will protect the team for the
duration of the study, but in the case of an emergency, they will call the insurance provider to
dispatch security or whatever service is needed in the area. As for medical transportation, the
insurance company will send out a helicopter to the location and carry whoever needs attention
to the nearest hospital. The costs of these emergency services are covered by the provider via a
one-time membership fee.
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 7

Gain Public Support

Efforts have been made by nonprofit organizations to inform the public that elephants are
vulnerable. All of the documentaries thus far aim to gain public support by giving every viewer
an ethical obligation to contribute to the efforts of saving endangered species. This is done by
educating the public about the life of elephants and their struggles in order to build an emotional
attachment to them. Organizations such as Animal planet, World Wildlife Fund, World
Conservation Society, ABC Commercial, and of course National Geographic are well known for
their conservation efforts. According to the National geographic website, its documentaries, and
other media reach more than 700 million people. If the National Geographic film crew records
the progress of the study and produces a documentary out of the footage, it will be the first of its
kind. Instead of gaining public support from a moral aspect, it will show the ecological value of
elephants and that there is a tangible solution to elephant extinction.

Budget
The variable part of the budget is determined mainly by the annual salary of the veterinarian,
geographers, and paramedics. The average annual salaries of all three were researched and
simply divided it by twelve to represent the approximate salary per month. Since the study is
going to be done over the course of two months, that number is multiplied by two for each
individual. The same method was used for guides. These costs are just an approximation, but it
serves as a model to visualize the approximate budget needed. The cost of the Emergency
Evacuation Insurance and the college interns are a fixed price.

Veterinarian
$7,300 x 2 months $14,6001
Geographers
$6,370 x 2 months x 2 geographers $25,5002
Guides
$4,000 x 12 people x 2 trips $98,0003
Paramedic
$2,700 x 2 months x 3 paramedics $16,2004
Emergency Evacuation Insurance
$409 x 12 people $4,9105
College Interns
$0 x 5 interns $0

Total $159,210

Figure 3: Estimated Budget Breakdown

WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 8

Justification
The guides are the most expensive piece of this budget because they play such an important role.
They will provide transportation, housing, armed protection, and valuable guidance through the
differing and potentially dangerous lands of the Savanna desert. The cost of the three guides
includes, living expenses, the rental of the three jeeps that they will drive, and housing in nearby
cabins; each trip is 30 days each. The cost of the insurance includes the membership of the
veterinarian, 2 geographers, 3 paramedics, and 5 college interns. While the housing,
transportation, and protection for the college interns is included in the price of insurance, they
will not be paid for the service of data entry. They will receive college credit from their
universities, much like the work- based experience credits required in the Rutgers Pre-Veterinary
curriculum.

Discussion
Elephants are essential to their ecosystem, especially during dry season, because they facilitate
the growth of grasslands for smaller herbivores, contribute to the pollination of large vegetation,
and most importantly, dig water holes when there are no other water sources available. Water is
the most important nutrient to all organisms, without elephants to provide that during the long
dry season, herbivores and other mammals would die of dehydration. By studying the
dependence of other animals on watering holes, a deeper understanding of the potential range of
impacts that further decreases in the elephant population will surface. This data will be compiled
into a peer-reviewed paper and paired with the documentary produced by the national geographic
film crew to show the public and countries part of CITES what the potential impact is, should the
elephant population disappear.
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 9

The main cause for the decrease in the global elephant population is poaching and the illegal
selling of ivory on the black market. CITES enacted the Ivory Trade Ban and ETIS which makes
it illegal to use any part of endangered species and mandates all members to report ivory seizures
within 90 days respectively. This data collected through ETIS is recorded and helps track the
pattern of poaching on a global level, however each country issues punishment individually and
case by case. There is no data to that shows the potential impact on the ecosystem should
elephants be removed from it. If there is potential for irreversible damage, it needs to be
assessed. A solution to decrease poaching, and therefore slow down the decrease in the elephant
population, is to mandate a minimum punishment across all parties within CITES to deter
poachers. The main objective is to assess the potential harm of the decreasing population, so
even if the documentary and the data dont cause a change in policy, valuable information will
still have been shared with the rest of the world.

End Notes
1. Veterinarian: Salary Details. (2016). Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com/
2. Geographer. (2016). Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com/
3. M17383. Botswana Fully Guided Mobile Safari. (2016). Retrieved from
http://www.infohub.com/vacation_packages/16354.html
4. Paramedic: Salary Details. (2016). Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com/
5. Emergency evacuation high risk areas incl. Terrorism, crisis response security. (2016).
Retrieved from https://www.gninsurance.com/emergency-evacuation-high-risk/

Appendix
Appendix A
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 10

References

1989, R. S. (1989, June 6). Bush Commits U.S. To Ivory Import Ban. St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

About the National Geographic Society. (2016). Retrieved from nationalgeographic.com

Bale, R. (2016, October 3). National Geographic. Retrieved from

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/03/184016/

Chokshi, N., Gettleman, J. (2016, September 1). African elephant population dropped 30 percent

in 7 years. The New York Times. Retrieved from

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/02/world/africa/african-elephant-population-dropped-

30-percent-in-7-years.html?_r=0

Elephant Channel TV (2016, September 15). Life of The Desert Elephant - Wildlife

Documentaries 2015 [National Geographic Documentary] [Video File]. Retrieved from

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yf3hI4-wrOk
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 11

Emergency evacuation high risk areas incl. Terrorism, crisis response security. (2016).

Retrieved from https://www.gninsurance.com/emergency-evacuation-high-risk/

Gandiwa, E., Magwati, T., Zisadza, P., Chinuwo, T., & Tafangenyasha, C. (2011). The impact of

African elephants on Acacia tortilis woodland in northern Gonarezhou National Park,

Zimbabwe. Journal of Arid Environments, 75809-814.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2011.04.017

Guest Blogger (2014, November 18) National Geographic. Retrieved from

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2014/11/18/in-kenya-justice-catches-up-with-

elephant-poacher/

Lemieux, A. M., & Clarke, R. V. (2009). International Ban on Ivory Sales and Its Effect on

Elephant Poaching in Africa, The [article]. British Journal of Criminology, (4), 451.

Miller, Lance J., Chase, Michael J. & Hacker, Charlotte E. (2016) A Comparison of Walking

Rates Between Wild and Zoo African Elephants, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare

Science, 19:3, 271-279, DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2015.1137755

Moyle, B. (2014). The Raw and the Carved: Shipping Costs and Ivory Smuggling. Ecological

Economics 107, 259-265. Retrieved from

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.09.001

Pete, K. (2014). Mixed Media Elephant print. Silver and Blush Pink. Elephant Mom and Baby

watercolor and ink[Online Image]. Retrieved November 29, 2016 from

https://www.etsy.com/listing/184984121/mixed-media-elephant-print-silver-and?

ref=sr_gallery_21&ga_search_query=baby+elephant+print&ga_ref=market&ga_page=22

&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery
WHY WOULD IT MATTER? 12

Sands, P.; Bedecarre, A. (1990). Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species: The

Role of Public Interest Non-Governmental Organizations in Ensuring the Effective

Enforcement of the Ivory Trade Ban. Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review,

17(4), 799-822.

Smith, R. (Producer). (1991). Crash of the Titans [Video file]. ABC Commercial. Retrieved

September 29, 2016, from Academic Video Online: Premium.

Stansfield, F., Nothling, J., Soley, J., & Allen, W. (n.d). Development of the germinal ridge and

ovary in the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). Reproduction, 144(5), 583-593.

Stommel, C., Hofer, H., Grobbel, M., East, M. (2015) Large mammals in Ruaha National Park,

Tanzania, dig for water when water stops flowing and water bacterial load increases.

Mammalian Biology, 81,21-30. DOI: S1616504715000932

Underwood, F., Burn, R., Milliken, T., (2013) Dissecting the illegal Ivory Trade: An Analysis of

Ivory Seizures Data. PLOS ONE, 8, 1-12. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0076539

Why is ivory so popular in China? (2015, October 19). Retrieved from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/34571732

Wittemyer, G., Northrup, J., Blanc, J., Douglas-Hamilton, I., Omondi, P., & Burnham, K. (n.d.).

Illegal killing for ivory drives global decline in African elephants. Proceedings of The

National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, III(36), 13117- 13121.