Giants on Our Hands
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ELEPHANT RIDING: the FACTS the Asian Elephant Is a Critically
ELEPHANT RIDING: THE FACTS (Prepared by Belynda Zolotto) The Asian Elephant is a critically endangered species, facing a very high risk of extinction. For the Thai Asian Elephant, the primary cause of this is habitat loss. The forests and grasslands needed to support a population of elephants have been disseminated by human activity and simply no longer exist. Domesticated elephants are the answer to creating a sustainable future for Thai elephants but providing a supportive environment for elephants in an elephant village or camp/centre requires money. For the Royal Elephant Kraal Village, like other such dedicated, protective centres, tourism is an important source of income. Providing an ethical and humane riding experience for visitors is critical if their programs are to be continued in the long term. Recently claims have been circulating on the internet and media, maintaining that this practice is damaging for the elephants, even cruel. The Royal Elephant Kraal Village (the Kraal) strongly disputes this assertion and this article sets out some of the facts, and the maths, to demonstrate that elephants are well able to easily carry the weight of humans on their backs. The Kraal has gone to great lengths to ensure that the elephants in its care are well-treated, that their participation in the riding program is beneficial and that the equipment used for rides is well designed and comfortable for the elephant. The emotive claims against the practice liken the experience of carrying people on the elephant’s back to a human carrying a 50 pound backpack for nine hours a day and purport that it will lead to permanent spinal injuries.1 Instead of making exaggerated comparisons between the human experience and that of animals in order to appeal to people’s emotions, always a risky exercise, let’s look at the facts. -
An Annotated Checklist of the Angiospermic Flora of Rajkandi Reserve Forest of Moulvibazar, Bangladesh
Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 25(2): 187-207, 2018 (December) © 2018 Bangladesh Association of Plant Taxonomists AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE ANGIOSPERMIC FLORA OF RAJKANDI RESERVE FOREST OF MOULVIBAZAR, BANGLADESH 1 2 A.K.M. KAMRUL HAQUE , SALEH AHAMMAD KHAN, SARDER NASIR UDDIN AND SHAYLA SHARMIN SHETU Department of Botany, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh Keywords: Checklist; Angiosperms; Rajkandi Reserve Forest; Moulvibazar. Abstract This study was carried out to provide the baseline data on the composition and distribution of the angiosperms and to assess their current status in Rajkandi Reserve Forest of Moulvibazar, Bangladesh. The study reports a total of 549 angiosperm species belonging to 123 families, 98 (79.67%) of which consisting of 418 species under 316 genera belong to Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons), and the remaining 25 (20.33%) comprising 132 species of 96 genera to Liliopsida (monocotyledons). Rubiaceae with 30 species is recognized as the largest family in Magnoliopsida followed by Euphorbiaceae with 24 and Fabaceae with 22 species; whereas, in Lilliopsida Poaceae with 32 species is found to be the largest family followed by Cyperaceae and Araceae with 17 and 15 species, respectively. Ficus is found to be the largest genus with 12 species followed by Ipomoea, Cyperus and Dioscorea with five species each. Rajkandi Reserve Forest is dominated by the herbs (284 species) followed by trees (130 species), shrubs (125 species), and lianas (10 species). Woodlands are found to be the most common habitat of angiosperms. A total of 387 species growing in this area are found to be economically useful. 25 species listed in Red Data Book of Bangladesh under different threatened categories are found under Lower Risk (LR) category in this study area. -
States Symbols State/ Union Territories Motto Song Animal / Aquatic
States Symbols State/ Animal / Foundation Butterfly / Motto Song Bird Fish Flower Fruit Tree Union territories Aquatic Animal day Reptile Maa Telugu Rose-ringed Snakehead Blackbuck Common Mango సతవ జయే Thalliki parakeet Murrel Neem Andhra Pradesh (Antilope jasmine (Mangifera indica) 1 November Satyameva Jayate (To Our Mother (Coracias (Channa (Azadirachta indica) cervicapra) (Jasminum officinale) (Truth alone triumphs) Telugu) benghalensis) striata) सयमेव जयते Mithun Hornbill Hollong ( Dipterocarpus Arunachal Pradesh (Rhynchostylis retusa) 20 February Satyameva Jayate (Bos frontalis) (Buceros bicornis) macrocarpus) (Truth alone triumphs) Satyameva O Mur Apunar Desh Indian rhinoceros White-winged duck Foxtail orchid Hollong (Dipterocarpus Assam सयमेव जयते 2 December Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) (O My Endearing Country) (Rhinoceros unicornis) (Asarcornis scutulata) (Rhynchostylis retusa) macrocarpus) Mere Bharat Ke House Sparrow Kachnar Mango Bihar Kanth Haar Gaur (Mithun) Peepal tree (Ficus religiosa) 22 March (Passer domesticus) (Phanera variegata) (Mangifera indica) (The Garland of My India) Arpa Pairi Ke Dhar Satyameva Wild buffalo Hill myna Rhynchostylis Chhattisgarh सयमेव जयते (The Streams of Arpa Sal (Shorea robusta) 1 November (Bubalus bubalis) (Gracula religiosa) gigantea Jayate (Truth alone triumphs) and Pairi) सव भाण पयतु मा किच Coconut palm Cocos दुःखमानुयात् Ruby Throated Grey mullet/Shevtto Jasmine nucifera (State heritage tree)/ Goa Sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu mā Gaur (Bos gaurus) Yellow Bulbul in Konkani 30 May (Plumeria rubra) -
Hoogl. Papyracea (1
Additional notes on Dilleniaceae 1—9 by R.D. Hoogland (Issued May 1st, 1959) Since the publication of the Revision of the Genus Dillenia (Blumea 7, 1952, pp. 1—145) a number of additional collections have come to my notice. As is to be expected, the most interesting ones are from Eastern the has Malaysia, where genus developed a high degree of diversity and where the number of collections is still relatively small. 1. Dillenia and D. Merr. c. pteropoda (Miq.) Hoogl. papyracea (1. p. 28) (fig. 1) Fig. 1. Dillenia pteropoda (Miq.) Hoogl. After Pleyte 260. X 3/5. *) C.S.I.R.O., Division of Land Research and Regional Survey, Canberra, Australia. 578 BLUMEA VOL. IX, No. 2, 1959 and D. Dillenia pteropoda papyracea were considered identical on account of the striking similarity of the leaves. D. pteropoda (Wormia Balmaheira pteropoda Miq.) was described from on leaves only and though the species was collected in the Moluccas on some occasions since, the flowers were still unknown when I revised the genus. A recent collection with flowers Mumar River track ( Pleyte 260, near Mumar, Tasoa—Gn. Sembilan, 300 m alt., 25. XI. 1951; L) has come to my notice and shows that two distinct involved. species are It appears reasonable to retain Miquel's name for the species occurring in the Moluccas, though the two species cannot be distinguished with certainty from sterile specimens. The correct for the is Dillenia name Philippine species then papyracea Merr. (Philip. J. Sci. Bot. with D. Merr. J. Sci. 9, 1915, p. 520), megalophylla (Philip. -
Elephant Escapades Audience Activity Designed for 10 Years Old and Up
Elephant Escapades Audience Activity designed for 10 years old and up Goal Students will learn the differences between the African and Asian elephants, as well as, how their different adaptations help them survive in their habitats. Objective • To understand elephant adaptations • To identify the differences between African and Asian elephants Conservation Message Elephants play a major role in their habitats. They act as keystone species which means that other species depend on them and if elephants were removed from the ecosystem it would change drastically. It is important to understand these species and take efforts to encourage the preservation of African and Asian elephants and their habitats. Background Information Elephants are the largest living land animal; they can weigh between 6,000 and 12,000 pounds and stand up to 12 feet tall. There are only two species of elephants; the African Elephants and the Asian Elephant. The Asian elephant is native to parts of South and Southeast Asia. While the African elephant is native to the continent of Africa. While these two species are very different, they do share some common traits. For example, both elephant species have a trunk that can move in any direction and move heavy objects. An elephant’s trunk is a fusion, or combination, of the nose and upper lip and does not contain any bones. Their trunks have thousands of muscles and tendons that make movements precise and give the trunk amazing strength. Elephants use their trunks for snorkeling, smelling, eating, defending themselves, dusting and other activities that they perform daily. Another common feature that the two elephant species share are their feet. -
Asian Elephant, Listed As An
HUMAN ELEPHANT CONFLICT IN HOSUR FOREST DIVISION, TAMILNADU, INDIA Interim Report to Hosur Forest Division, Tamil Nadu Forest Department by N. Baskaran and P. Venkatesh ASIAN NATURE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION INNOVATION CENTRE FIRST FLOOR INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE BANGALORE - 560 012, INDIA SEPTEMBER 2009 1 Section Title Page No. 1. INTRODUCTION 01 2. METHODS 08 2.1 Study area 08 2.2 Human Elephant Conflict 13 2.2.1. Evaluation of conflict status 13 2.2.2. Assessment on cropping pattern 13 2.2.3. Evaluation of human–elephant conflict mitigation measures 14 2.2.4. Use of GIS and remote sensing in Human–elephant conflict 14 3 OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS 16 3.1. Status of human–elephant conflict 16 3.1.1. Crop damage by elephants 16 3.1.2. Human death by elephants 16 3.1.3. Crop damage in relation to month 18 3.1.4. Other damages caused by elephants 18 3.1.5. Spatial variation in crop damage 20 3.2. Causes of human–elephant conflict 24 3.2.1. Cropping pattern and its influence 24 3.2.2. Landscape attributes 29 3.2.3. Cattle grazing and its impact 29 3.3. Measures of conflict mitigation and their efficacy 31 4. DISCUSSION 35 5. SUMMARY 40 REFERENCES 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We thank the Tamil Nadu Forest Department especially Mr. Sundarajan IFS Chief Wildlife Warden Tamil Nadu, Mr. V. Ganeshan IFS, District Forest Officer, Hosur Forest Division for readily permitting me to carryout this work and extending all supports for this study. I also thank all the Forest Range Officers, Foresters, Forest Guards and Forest Watchers in Hosur Forest Division for their support during my filed work. -
Mighty War Elephants the Toy Soldier Museum’S James H
FEATURE Mighty War Elephants The Toy Soldier Museum’s James H. Hillestad traces the history of ponderous and powerful pachyderms in warfare while providing a peek at some awe-inspiring AeroArt portrayals of the mammoth beasts in miniature Text: James H. Hillestad Photos: Tor Johnson and James H. Hillestad t is believed that the first military probably among the first confrontations savannah cousins, about the size of the application of elephants dates from Europeans ever had with war elephants. Asian elephant. The African savannah I around 1100 B.C. in India. As weapons of warfare, elephants elephant proved to be too difficult to From Asia, the use of war elephants were used mainly in charges. A charging tame for military purposes, so it was migrated to the Persian Empire, elephant was formidable in combat, never widely used. where they were used in a number reaching speeds of up to 20 mph and, War elephants were exclusively of campaigns. The Persians’ Battle of unlike horse cavalry, not easily stopped male. Faster and more aggressive than Gaugamela (331 B.C.), fought against by an infantry line equipped with spears. females, they were also taller, heavier Greece’s Alexander the Great, was The elephant’s power was based on and stronger -- and most importantly, pure brute force. It would crash into an the long tusks of the males were enemy line, trampling men with feet 19 decisive in battle. Further, it was found inches in diameter and swinging mighty that female elephants do not have the tusks up to 10 feet long. Cavalry was not temperament for fighting and so they safe either because horses, unaccustomed were rarely used in battle. -
The Ivory King "
NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES 3 3333 08575 3305 u THE CENTRAL CHILDREN* S ROOM DON : CENTER 20 WES :et , NEW YORK, N.Y. 10019 THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY ASTOR, LF.NOX *"0 TILDt-N FoLKJD-.TIO.iS. C L. M 1|B| ». - A tiger's attack. By permission Illus. rated London News- Frontispiece. MARVELS OF ANIMAL LIFE SERIES. THE IVORY KING " A POPULAR HISTORY OF THE ELEPHANT AND ITS ALLIES BY CHARLES FREDERICK HOLDER ' FELLOW OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, ETC. ; AUTHOR OF "ELEMENTS OF ZOOLOGY," " MARVELS OF ANIMAL LIFE," ETC. ILLUSTRATED: NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1902 TH-E NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY > . f>fiff A8TOB, LFNOX AWO THlOEN n-M i rtc» ! S. C ». Copyright, 1886, 1888, by CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS. Press op Berwick & Smith, Boston, U.S.A. C5^ X TO MY MOTHER STfjts Folume IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED- /> PREFACE. rTIHE elephant is the true king of beasts, the largest and most -*- powerful of existing land animals, and to young and old a never ceasing source of wonder and interest. In former geological ages, it roamed the continental areas of every zone ; was found in nearly every section of North America, from the shores of the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, and from New England to California. Where the hum of great cities is now heard, in by- gone days the trumpeting of the mastodon and elephant, and the cries of other strange animals, broke the stillness of the vast primeval forest. But they have all passed away, their extirpation undoubtedly hastened by the early man, the abori- ginal hunter ; and the mighty race of elephants, which now remains so isolated, is to-day represented by only two species, the African and the Asiatic, forms which are also doomed. -
“White Elephant” the King's Auspicious Animal
แนวทางการบริหารการจัดการเรียนรู้ภาษาจีนส าหรับโรงเรียนสองภาษา (ไทย-จีน) สังกัดกรุงเทพมหานคร ประกอบด้วยองค์ประกอบหลักที่ส าคัญ 4 องค์ประกอบ ได้แก่ 1) เป้าหมายและ หลักการ 2) หลักสูตรและสื่อการสอน 3) เทคนิคและวิธีการสอน และ 4) การพัฒนาผู้สอนและผู้เรียน ค าส าคัญ: แนวทาง, การบริหารการจัดการเรียนรู้ภาษาจีน, โรงเรียนสองภาษา (ไทย-จีน) Abstract This study aimed to develop a guidelines on managing Chinese language learning for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The study was divided into 2 phases. Phase 1 was to investigate the present state and needs on managing Chinese language learning for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration from the perspectives of the involved personnel in Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Phase 2 was to create guidelines on managing Chinese language learning for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and to verify the accuracy and suitability of the guidelines by interviewing experts on teaching Chinese language and school management. A questionnaire, a semi-structured interview form, and an evaluation form were used as tools for collecting data. Percentage, mean, and Standard Deviation were employed for analyzing quantitative data. Modified Priority Needs Index (PNImodified) and content analysis were used for needs assessment and analyzing qualitative data, respectively. The results of this research found that the actual state of the Chinese language learning management for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) in all aspects was at a high level ( x =4.00) and the expected state of the Chinese language learning management for Bilingual Schools (Thai – Chinese) in the overall was at the highest level ( x =4.62). The difference between the actual state and the expected state were significant different at .01 level. -
Vol: Ii (1938) of “Flora of Assam”
Plant Archives Vol. 14 No. 1, 2014 pp. 87-96 ISSN 0972-5210 AN UPDATED ACCOUNT OF THE NAME CHANGES OF THE DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANT SPECIES INCLUDED IN THE VOL: I (1934- 36) & VOL: II (1938) OF “FLORA OF ASSAM” Rajib Lochan Borah Department of Botany, D.H.S.K. College, Dibrugarh - 786 001 (Assam), India. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract Changes in botanical names of flowering plants are an issue which comes up from time to time. While there are valid scientific reasons for such changes, it also creates some difficulties to the floristic workers in the preparation of a new flora. Further, all the important monumental floras of the world have most of the plants included in their old names, which are now regarded as synonyms. In north east India, “Flora of Assam” is an important flora as it includes result of pioneering floristic work on Angiosperms & Gymnosperms in the region. But, in the study of this flora, the same problems of name changes appear before the new researchers. Therefore, an attempt is made here to prepare an updated account of the new names against their old counterpts of the plants included in the first two volumes of the flora, on the basis of recent standard taxonomic literatures. In this, the unresolved & controversial names are not touched & only the confirmed ones are taken into account. In the process new names of 470 (four hundred & seventy) dicotyledonous plant species included in the concerned flora are found out. Key words : Name changes, Flora of Assam, Dicotyledonus plants, floristic works. -
Ivory Markets of Europe 23/11/2005 02:25 PM Page 1
Ivory Markets of Europe 23/11/2005 02:25 PM Page 1 Ivory Markets of Europe A survey in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK Esmond Martin and Daniel Stiles Drawings by Andrew Kamiti Published by Care for the Wild International Save the Elephants The Granary PO Box 54667, 00200 Nairobi, Kenya Tickfold Farm and Kingsfold c/o Ambrose Appelbe, 7 New Square, West Sussex RH12 3SE Lincoln’s Inn, London, WC2A 3RA UK UK 2005 ISBN 9966 - 9683 - 4 - 2 Ivory Markets of Europe 23/11/2005 02:25 PM Page 2 CONTENTS List of tables 3 Executive summary 5 Introduction 7 Methodology 8 Results 9 Germany 9 United Kingdom 29 France 45 Spain 64 Italy 78 Status of the ivory trade in Europe 90 Trends in the ivory trade in Europe 93 Discussion 96 Conclusions 99 References 102 Acknowledgements inside back cover 2 Ivory Markets of Europe 23/11/2005 02:25 PM Page 3 LIST OF TABLES Germany Table 1 Number of illegal elephant product seizures made in Germany recorded by ETIS, 1989-2003 Table 2 Number of craftsmen working in ivory in Erbach from the 1870s to 2004 Table 3 Number of ivory items seen for retail sale in Germany, September 2004 Table 4 Types of retail outlets selling ivory items in Germany, September 2004 Table 5 Ivory items for retail sale in the largest shop in Michelstadt, September 2004 Table 6 Retail prices for ivory items seen in Michelstadt, September 2004 Table 7 Retail prices for ivory items seen in Erbach, September 2004 Table 8 Number of retail outlets and ivory items in the main antique markets in Berlin, September 2004 Table 9 New (post 1989) -
Review of Human-Elephant FINAL Reduced 01.Cdr
Prithiviraj Fernando, M. Ananda Kumar, A. Christy Williams, Eric Wikramanayake, Tariq Aziz, Sameer M. Singh WORLD BANK-WWF ALLIANCE FOR FOREST CONSERVATION & SUSTAINABLE USE Review of Human-Elephant Conflict Mitigation Measures Practiced in South Asia (AREAS Technical Support Document Submitted to World Bank) Prithiviraj Fernando, M. Ananda Kumar, A. Christy Williams, Eric Wikramanayake, Tariq Aziz, Sameer M. Singh Published in 2008 by WWF - World Wide Fund for Nature. Any reproduction in full or in part of this publication must mention the title and credit the above mentioned publisher as the copyright owner. © text and graphics: 2008 WWF. All rights reserved. Photographs by authors as credited. CONTENTS Preamble 1-2 LIST OF TECHNIQUES Problem Animal Removal 28-33 Traditional Crop Protection 3-7 Capture and domestication Capture and semi-wild management Crop guarding Elimination Noise and Throwing Things Fire Compensation & Insurance 34-35 Supplements to traditional crop protection Land-Use Planning 36-38 Alarms Providing benefits from conservation to Repellants Local communities Organized Crop Protection 8-11 Recommendations 39 Guard teams, 40-43 Vehicle patrols, References Cited Koonkies Literature Cited 44-45 Elephant Barriers 12-18 Physical FORMAT FOR Wire fences EACH TECHNIQUE Log and stone fences Technique Ditches Applicable scale Biological fences Objective Psychological Description of technique Electric fences Positive effects Cleared boundaries and simple demarcation of fields People Elephants Buffer Crops & Unpalatable Crops 19-20 Negative effects People Supplementary Feeding 21-22 Elephants Translocation 23-27 Future needs Chemical immobilization and transport In-country applications Elephant drives Sri Lanka PREAMBLE ew wild species evoke as much attention and varied emotions from humans as elephants.