International March for Elephants

The passion and pain, hope and yearning to save our elephants can seem lonely, sometimes. Hope wanes with a new statistic: an elephant killed for ivory every 15 minutes. There arrives a mad dash to help, panic to save them, overwhelming sadness, and the need to make a difference. Hope returns with the news of another orphan or poaching victim saved or law enacted to protect the endangered elephants. The general public seems oblivious, sometimes. For most of the world, elephants are just too remote to create an impact on daily life. But, that’s about to change.

On October 4, 2013 we will journey to 15 cities around the globe for The International March for Elephants hosted by iworry.org a campaign belonging to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Imagine the feel of a journey with like-minded and passionate friends of elephants, all determined to save the lives of our gentle giants. We will be united with our growing community of people determined to stop the ivory trade. As one, we will flood the streets. Matching shirts and smiles, strength in numbers with a vision and a mission to save a species that has roamed the planet for 50 million years. We will not lose hope for them. We will be the voice of the elephants for a day.

We will connect with the passersby, citizens, and leaders of our cities. We will have their attention. We will educate them, enlist them into our army, and take a stand against poaching. We will demand change and fight for life. The murmur of the crowd between on-lookers and participants so ready to share our passion and drive with a willing ear will reverberate throughout the world. Conversations will abound between marchers connecting us with each other as one voice, collaborating and sharing.

Can you imagine the entrancing murmur, the presence, the energy and the message we will share across the globe from 15 cities around the world including Bangkok, New York City, Munich, Melbourne, Nairobi, and Washington DC will share?  We are collaboration. We are a united front. We are coming to a city near you to be a voice, to educate, and take a stand on October 4, 2013 with The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust as our leader.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is an organization with its roots in Africa. It was founded in 1977 by Dr. Dame Daphne Sheldrick D.B.E, in honor of the memory of her late husband, famous naturalist and founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park, David Leslie William Sheldrick MBE. It is run by Angela Sheldrick, Daphne Sheldrick’s daughter, who has been managing the Trust’s activities for more than a decade. The DSWT is a multi-faceted organization best known in the public for rescuing and fostering orphaned elephants, the youngest victims of the poaching crisis and returning more than 150 matured elephants into the wild. Some of the Sheldrick elephants come back to visit from time to time. The DSWT hosts other orphans in need, including rhinos, and contributes to their well-being. The Trust’s mission statement is:

“The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust embraces all measures that compliment the conservation, preservation and protection of wildlife. These include anti-poaching, safe guarding the natural environment, enhancing community awareness, addressing animal welfare issues, providing veterinary assistance to animals in need, rescuing and hand rearing elephant and rhino orphans, along with other species that can ultimately enjoy a quality of life in wild terms when grown.”

The DSWT does so much more than rescuing and raising orphaned elephants. Besides removing deadly poaching snares and utilizing professional wildlife veterinarians to treat victims of gunshot and poison arrow wounds, they also support the local community, raise awareness, and educate future generations on the importance of conservation of our wildlife. The organization thinks long-term to “improve living conditions and educational standards, encouraging communities and the next generation to protect their wildlife and environment…essential components in the Trust’s approach to long-term wildlife protection, each requiring sustainable financial support in order to continue achieving great results.” The DSWT is acutely aware that the next generation must learn to conserve and protect to sustain and increase the decimating population of elephants that number in Africa less than 400,000 today down from 1.6 million 30 years ago.

Poaching of elephants for ivory must stop. There are several ways to contribute to the march and to the victims of poaching:

• ·         Attend the International March for Elephants on October 4, 2013 (volunteer opportunities are available).
• ·         Foster an orphaned elephant or animal or support a local school by visiting www.dswt.org.
• ·         Sign, recruit, and share the petition to stop the ivory trade at: http://www.iworry.org/get-involved/#.UgeqGfso7VI.
• ·         Purchase a bumper sticker or t-shirt to start a conversation via www.iWorry.org.
• ·         Visit a local school to talk about the importance of the elephant species, create an art or science project, classroom sponsor an orphan for the school year, or raise funds for the DSWT.
• ·         Organize a fundraiser. In the US, you can contact the US Friends of The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust at: https://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/html/help_USA.html.
• ·         Post and share links on any social media site like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and in blogs to raise awareness of the plight of our elephants.

You can be a part of the energy. Join the International March for Elephants and support this worldwide collaboration. Go to iworry.org for more information. Elephants are an umbrella species, providing habitat and nourishment for other animals, living in harmony with nature and each other, celebrating life, love, and family. We must take a lesson in respect from a species that is more than just a trinket. We must be their voice; one voice on this day and every day until elephants can once again roam freely in their natural habitat where they are respected, safe, and where elephant calves no longer cry for their mothers dying in front of them, every fifteen minutes of every day. March for Elephants on October 4, 2013 in a city near you or create a March in your town.