Foot problems are more rife in elephants living in captivity. The hard ground they walk on often gives them foot trouble. Generally, by the time the problem is picked up, it’s too late.
The 27-year old ban on international ivory trade has clearly failed to deliver a sustained solution to the poaching crisis.
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Ivory was a major talking point at the CITES CoP17 conference.Many feel the ban on trade doesn’t work while others believe the ban is the only way to save the iconic species.
Women demonstrate in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley against the export of wild animals from the Maasai Mara National Park.
Reuters/Antony Gitonga
Ross Harvey, South African Institute of International Affairs
In the absence of trading ivory, other solutions have to be found to fund conservation and support communities living on the front line of the battle against poaching.
The fate of elephants ultimately lies in the hands of humans and a continued ban will not solve the poaching problem.
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The ivory trade is a very contentious issue and will be debated at CITES. It will revolve around maintaining or lifting the ban on trade. But the human element is likely to be ignored.
Zebras are among the larger wildlife doing well in protected areas.
Stephen Woodley/IUCN
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Neither laws nor guns are stopping the poachers.
Grø Åmert/Flickr
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Exporting elephants from Laos to Japan could be the end of this Asian elephant population.
ElefantAsia
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Can elephants help prevent bushfires and eradicate feral animals? Flickr/TheLizardQueen.
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