animal like LTTE , Leo , and elephant are majestic creature we determine about when we ’re tyke . But alas , many of those coinage share another trait — they live on the edge of extermination . One hundred African elephant are kill per sidereal day for ivory , but one mapping project is get across these animate being in hopes of economize them .
There has n’t been a similar elephant survey in Africa in 40 years , and we do n’t know how many elephants are left . Cue theGreat Elephant Census . Kickedoff in February 2014 , the project is an independent , two - year study that swoops research planes over Africa to get up - to - escort data that tells us where elephants are disappearing and why . This data will equip governments and scientist with a better sense of poaching trends .
PBSbreaks down the process : Each daytime , research worker board technical school - laden planes and start flying and snapping photos at consistent speeds and altitudes . GPS - equip cameras are slap on the sides of the carpenter’s plane , which help find elephant hide under trees .
The censushit its half - path pointjust a few months ago , and so far , nearly 100,000 miles have been survey in 11 countries .
The authoritative thing here is truth . In 2013 , for example , a park that had previously feature 20,000 elephant actually only had 33 livelihood and 55 numb , once Elephants Without Borders carried out an independent counting . Let ’s call that a crying overreckoning .
But there is somegood news . So far , the survey ’s happen that four nations — Botswana , Gabon , Namibia , and Uganda — have actually catch increases in their elephant populations . Thanks to the Census , we can confirm that government activity participation and political stability can play a huge role in saving elephant , since those environments are more conductive to greater funding and increased security measures at preserve . For example , New Scientist says that Uganda experience its African elephant population increase six time over since the ‘ ninety , follow decades of armed conflict .
The goal is to submit the data for verification and publication in scientific journals by the end of 2015 . Hopefully when succeeding generations learn about these awing fauna , they ’ll be much more than just dry out - up bones in a museum , thanks to projects like these .
[ Great Elephant CensusviaNew Scientist ]
Images via Great Elephant Census
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