Environmentally Friendly Gifts
Our purpose is to successfully sell our goods in order to complete a truly creative sustainable cycle: where raw materials with little other use are utilized to make a useful and functional product all the while providing jobs and opportunity along the way and ultimately selling our goods at a profit from which a portion is directed to a worthwhile cause: elephant welfare and conservation.
Basically, our sustainable cycle works like this: as with all creatures on our planet, elephants need a clean environment and a good diet. With these needs met an elephant produces a lot of dung, which we collect and use to make our products. We work with various conservation parks (and mahouts) to gather the dung (which is full of fibrous material and makes great paper). We then process the dung into paper sheets from which our products are made. The more we sell to customers like you and to stores across the country and around the world...the more we can contribute as a percentage of the profits from each item you buy is contributed to elephant welfare and conservation programs!
Elephants
Fun facts about them...
- Did you know that some recycled paper is made from elephant dung? The paper doesn't come from the dung itself, but from the fibers that are contained in the elephant dung. Elephants eat anywhere from 100 to 1,000 pounds on a daily basis, but their digestion is poor. Instead of digesting all of the food they eat, they only digest about 40% of it and the other 60% is excreted in the dung. The fibers are in the dung because they come from all of the plants, trees, shoots, and other vegetation that elephants eat every day. These fibers are what can be harvested and used to make recycled paper that's a better alternative to paper that is made from raw materials.
- How are these fibers harvested?
The fibers found in elephant dung can be harvested by working with conservation groups that provide the dung to companies making recycled paper. - Aren't the fibers dirty?
The fibers start out dirty, but they don't stay dirty for long. Once the fibers have been received, they are cleaned in boiling water so that all of the bacteria and dirt are washed off of them. This cleaning process helps to make recycled paper that is made from elephant dung a healthy and safe choice. It's also a safer cleaning process because no bleach or other chemicals are used. The process of making recycled paper is kept as natural as possible. - What happens to the fibers after they are cleaned?
After they are cleaned, the fibers are dyed so that the paper that is made can come out in a wide variety of colors. There's an almost limitless palette of colors available, so recycled paper products are just as good as paper products made from raw materials. - How is the paper made?
After the fibers have been dyed, they are mixed with natural substances. These substances make the fiber mixture thicken so that it can be formed into cakes or patties for making paper. These cakes and patties are placed in mesh trays so that they can be dried off once all of the mixing has taken place. The trays are then placed against trees so that the cakes can face the sun and get dried more quickly. Once the cakes have dried sufficiently, sheets of recycled paper are peeled from the mesh trays. - What is recycled paper used for?
Recycled paper made from elephant dung is used for a wide variety of gift items including journal gifts, stationery sets, and note cards.
Turning Poo To Paper
Your source for hand made paper stationery.
The making of paper starts with the collection and processing of the dung pulp. Elephant dung is typically full of short to medium grained fibrous materials from the elephants diet which when processed makes excellent paper: - We collect naturally dried elephant dung from elephant conservation parks and bring it back to our paper-making factory.
- We then pre-rinse the elephant dung with water, leaving only the fibrous materials from the grasses, bamboo & fruits they've eaten.
- Afterwards, we place the fibers into a giant pot of boiling water to ensure the fibers are super clean. After this thorough cleaning, any color that we may want to add can be added.
- Natural fibers from banana trees & pineapples are added to the dung mixture so the paper will be thicker & stronger.
- Once this is all mixed together, we separate the moist fibers into small "cakes' or "wafers" of about 300-400 grams each.
- The cakes are spread evenly over a mesh-bottomed tray measuring about 60cm by 90cm.
- The tray is leaned up against a tree, angled toward the sun and allowed to dry naturally for a few hours.
- Once dry, we peel the sheet of paper from the mesh tray and start making Poo Poo Paper products.
This is how we made the hand made paper stationery and our how to make recycled paper process!
Finished Products
Your source for journal gifts, unique thank you gifts and unique birthday gifts for her- all made from poo!
Our purpose is to successfully sell our goods in order to complete a truly creative sustainable cycle: where raw materials with little other use are utilized to make a useful and functional product all the while providing jobs and opportunity along the way and ultimately selling our goods at a profit from which a portion is directed to a worthwhile cause: elephant welfare and conservation.
Basically, our sustainable cycle works like this: as with all creatures on our planet, elephants need a clean environment and a good diet. With these needs met an elephant produces a lot of dung, which we collect and use to make our products. We work with various conservation parks (and mahouts) to gather the dung (which is full of fibrous material and makes great paper). We then process the dung into paper sheets from which our products are made. The more we sell to customers like you and to stores across the country and around the world...the more we can contribute as a percentage of the profits from each item you buy is contributed to elephant welfare and conservation programs!
Basically, our sustainable cycle works like this: as with all creatures on our planet, elephants need a clean environment and a good diet. With these needs met an elephant produces a lot of dung, which we collect and use to make our products. We work with various conservation parks (and mahouts) to gather the dung (which is full of fibrous material and makes great paper). We then process the dung into paper sheets from which our products are made. The more we sell to customers like you and to stores across the country and around the world...the more we can contribute as a percentage of the profits from each item you buy is contributed to elephant welfare and conservation programs!
How is Paper Recycled?
SortingSuccessful recycling requires clean recovered paper, so you must keep your paper free from contaminants, such as food, plastic, metal, and other trash, which make paper difficult to recycle. Contaminated paper which cannot be recycled must be composted, burned for energy, or landfilled.
Recycling centers usually ask that you sort your paper by grade, or type of paper. Your local recycling center can tell you how to sort paper for recycling in your community. To locate your nearest dealer, look in the yellow pages of your phone book under "waste paper" or "recycling."
Collection and Transportation
You may take your sorted paper to a local recycling center or recycling bin. Often, a paper stock dealer or recycling center will collect recovered paper from your home or office. Your local dealer can tell you the options available in your community.
At the recycling center, the collected paper is wrapped in tight bales and transported to a paper mill, where it will be recycled into new paper.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
StoragePaper mill workers unload the recovered paper and put it into warehouses, where it is stored until needed. The various paper grades, such as newspapers and corrugated boxes, are kept separate, because the paper mill uses different grades of recovered paper to make different types of recycled paper products.
When the paper mill is ready to use the paper, forklifts move the paper from the warehouse to large conveyors.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
Re-pulping and ScreeningThe paper moves by conveyor to a big vat called a pulper, which contains water and chemicals. The pulper chops the recovered paper into small pieces. Heating the mixture breaks the paper down more quickly into tiny strands of cellulose
(organic plant material) called fibers. Eventually, the old paper turns into a mushy mixture called pulp.
The pulp is forced through screens containing holes and slots of various shapes and sizes. The screens remove small contaminants such as bits of plastic and globs of glue. This process is called screening.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
CleaningMills also clean pulp by spinning it around in large cone-shaped cylinders. Heavy contaminants like staples are thrown to the outside of the cone and fall through the bottom of the cylinder. Lighter contaminants collect in the center of the cone and are removed. This process is called cleaning.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
DeinkingSometimes the pulp must undergo a "pulp laundering" operation called deinking (de-inking) to remove printing ink and "stickies" (sticky materials like glue residue and adhesives). Papermakers often use a combination of two deinking processes. Small particles of ink are rinsed from the pulp with water in a process called washing. Larger particles and stickies are removed with air bubbles in another process called flotation.
During flotation deinking, pulp is fed into a large vat called a flotation cell, where air and soap-like chemicals call surfactants are injected into the pulp. The surfactants cause ink and stickies to loosen from the pulp and stick to the air bubbles as they float to the top of the mixture. The inky air bubbles create foam or froth which is removed from the top, leaving the clean pulp behind.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
Refining, Bleaching and Color StrippingDuring refining, the pulp is beaten to make the recycled fibers swell, making them ideal for papermaking. If the pulp contains any large bundles of fibers, refining separates them into individual fibers. If the recovered paper is colored, color stripping chemicals remove the dyes from the paper.
Then, if white recycled paper is being made, the pulp may need to be bleached with hydrogen peroxide, chlorine dioxide, or oxygen to make it whiter and brighter. If brown recycled paper is being made, such as that used for industrial paper towels, the pulp does not need to be bleached.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
PapermakingNow the clean pulp is ready to be made into paper. The recycled fiber can be used alone, or blended with new wood fiber (called virgin fiber) to give it extra strength or smoothness.
The pulp is mixed with water and chemicals to make it 99.5% water. This watery pulp mixture enters the headbox, a giant metal box at the beginning of the paper machine, and then is sprayed in a continuous wide jet onto a huge flat wire screen which is moving very quickly through the paper machine.
On the screen, water starts to drain from the pulp, and the recycled fibers quickly begin to bond together to form a watery sheet. The sheet moves rapidly through a series of felt-covered press rollers which squeeze out more water.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
Papermaking (cont.)The sheet, which now resembles paper, passes through a series of heated metal rollers which dry the paper. If coated paper is being made, a coating mixture can be applied near the end of the process, or in a separate process after the papermaking is completed. coating gives paper a smooth, glossy surface for printing.
How is Paper Recycled? (Cont.)
Papermaking (cont.)Finally, the finished paper is wound into a giant roll and removed from the paper machine. One roll can be as wide as 30 feet and weigh as much as 20 tons! The roll of paper is cut into smaller rolls, or sometimes into sheets, before being shipped to a converting plant where it will be printed or made into products such as envelopes, paper bags, or boxes.
Reycling Stuff on Amazon
Recycling (True Books: Environment)
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The Golden Recycling Craft Kit
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McGraw-Hill Recycling Handbook, 2nd Edition
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Recycling (Cool Science)
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Cash for Your Trash: Scrap Recycling in America
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All About Elephants on Amazon
Water for Elephants: A Novel
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Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives
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The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us
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"Stand Back," Said the Elephant, "I'm Going to Sneeze!"
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Who Says Elephants Can't Dance?: Leading a Great Enterprise through Dramatic Change
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 10/12/2008)
Camera shy Jumbo couldnt hide from zoo patrons
Collecting Elephants: The Perfect Hobby for Nature Lovers
If you're a nature lover and a wildlife enthusiast it might be fun to try a hobby that combines your love of nature with the ability to actively engage in something. Elephant collection is one of the hobbies that you can try if you like elephants. Of course you don't actually collect the elephants themselves. Elephant collecting is when you collect a group of items that have some relation to elephants. Knowing what kind of collection to start and how to keep your valuable pieces safe is a great way to start a new hobby and have some fun.Choosing an Item to Collect
People who have an interest in elephants often combine their other hobbies with their elephant collecting hobby. For example, coin collectors may search for coins that depict elephants on them. Stamp collectors may collect stamps that feature elephants. Those who enjoy collecting figurines will concentrate on collecting elephant figurines. Elephant collecting is a great hobby because you can combine more than one hobby so that you are always working on something that you enjoy. There are many different items you can choose from. There are elephant figurines, coins, stamps, jewelry pieces, calendars, books, and dozens, if not hundreds, of other elephant-themed items that you can collect.
Finding Items for Your Collection
There are many ways to find elephant items for your collection depending on your budget and what you are collecting. If you are collecting items that are not considered rare, you may be able to find the items you're looking for at regular stores and shops. If your local stores don't carry your collectibles, check online and see if you can find any on the Web. If you are searching for rare stamps or coins, you may have to check E-bay or go through a dealer for some of the rarer pieces. Depending on what you are collecting, each piece can cost anywhere from a few dollars to several thousand dollars. It's important to pick an item to collect that fist into your budget so you can continue to grow your collection without having to wait years to save up enough money to buy another collectible.
Caring for Your Collection
You should care for your collection just like you would care for any of your other belongings, especially if you hope to sell the collection for a profit at some point. Keep your items clean and free of dust and other dirt. Don't handle your items if you have been eating or drinking and don't allow others to eat when your collectibles are in the immediate area. It may be best to keep children away form your collectibles so they don't get broken or decrease in value due to smudged fingerprints.
Storing Your Collection
If you value your collection for financial purposes, you should consider placing your collectibles in a fire-safe vault or in a safety deposit box. This will help them to stay protected so that you can continue to enjoy them for many years to come.
Never seen such a jumbo sized traffic jam
Why Environmentally Friendly Products Are Beneficial
Environmentally friendly products are products that either reduces the use of natural resources to make products or use recycled resources to produce products. Using these kinds of products is very beneficial for the environment and your community as a whole. It's also a great way to show that you care about preserving your environment and a good way to set example for your children and other family members. Many companies that take the time and effort to develop environmentally friendly products also take the time to ensure that their production processes are safer and more environmentally friendly as well. There are many benefits to environmentally friendly products. All you have to do is learn about them and then do your part to conserve resources and create less waste.
Variety of Products and Selections
Many people associate recycled paper and other environmentally friendly products with boring and plain colors. This simply isn't the case. Because the fibers used to produce recycled paper can be dyed in a wide variety of colors, you can buy recycled paper products in colors from pink to blue. You don't need to spend your money environmentally unsafe products or waste it on boring products you're not interested in. You'll find a great selection of environmentally friendly products if you look in the right places.
Use of Fewer Natural Resources
Products that are not environmentally friendly often use a number of natural resources in their production processes. This creates a lot of waste and does not help to conserve our resources. On the other hand, recycled products often use fewer natural resources and help to reduce waste during production. This helps to protect the environment and help keep it from becoming cluttered with waste and scrap materials.
High Quality Products Available
Many people also associate recycled environmentally friendly products with lower quality. The truth is, the quality of recycled paper products is equal to or greater than the quality of paper produced right from raw pulp. The recycled paper remains strong and durable through normal wear and tear and holds its appearance as long as you keep it free from marks and unnecessary roughness.
Safer Production Processes
Many of the companies that are producing environmentally friendly products are also using environmentally friendly production processes. Instead of polluting the environment and creating a lot of waste that must be d
Variety of Products and Selections
Many people associate recycled paper and other environmentally friendly products with boring and plain colors. This simply isn't the case. Because the fibers used to produce recycled paper can be dyed in a wide variety of colors, you can buy recycled paper products in colors from pink to blue. You don't need to spend your money environmentally unsafe products or waste it on boring products you're not interested in. You'll find a great selection of environmentally friendly products if you look in the right places.
Use of Fewer Natural Resources
Products that are not environmentally friendly often use a number of natural resources in their production processes. This creates a lot of waste and does not help to conserve our resources. On the other hand, recycled products often use fewer natural resources and help to reduce waste during production. This helps to protect the environment and help keep it from becoming cluttered with waste and scrap materials.
High Quality Products Available
Many people also associate recycled environmentally friendly products with lower quality. The truth is, the quality of recycled paper products is equal to or greater than the quality of paper produced right from raw pulp. The recycled paper remains strong and durable through normal wear and tear and holds its appearance as long as you keep it free from marks and unnecessary roughness.
Safer Production Processes
Many of the companies that are producing environmentally friendly products are also using environmentally friendly production processes. Instead of polluting the environment and creating a lot of waste that must be d
"Oh Jumbo, why can't our families be happy in our love?"
Benefits of Buying Elephant Gifts
If you have an elephant-lover in your family or you have a friend who is wild about elephants, why not consider purchasing elephant gifts for their next special occasion? Elephant gifts come in a wide assortment of styles and colors so it's easy to pick the perfect gift for every elephant-lover on your list. Knowing the benefits of buying elephant gifts can save you time and money and help you to pick the perfect gifts for your loved ones.Elephant Gifts Come in All Shapes and Sizes
When you think of elephant gifts, you probably might be thinking about stuffed elephants. There are many more types of gifts that feature elephants as their main theme. These items can include sweatshirts, jackets, t-shirts, hats, calendars, mugs, books, and framed art. Instead of having to choose from a narrow selection, you can choose from the wide selection of elephant gifts to make sure you find a gift that your loved one is sure to enjoy. Elephant gifts can also be personalized with embroidery or printing so that the recipient has something they can treasure.
Elephant Gifts Can Be Inexpensive
The great thing about buying elephant gifts is that you don't have to break the bank to buy something nice. If your budget is only a few dollars, you can still get a nice elephant mug or calendar. If you have a larger budget, you may want to get several inexpensive gifts or one expensive gift. It all depends on your budget and your preferences.
Elephant Gifts Can Help People Learn About Elephants
If you purchase educational elephant gifts, you can help someone you love learn more about elephants. This is the perfect gift idea for a child who has an interest in science and nature. Not only will you be giving a gift, you'll also be encouraging them to learn and develop an interest in elephants. You can buy educational items like books and puzzles that will let them have fun and learn at the same time.
Buying Elephant Gifts Can Help You Conserve Resources
Many gifts that are related to elephants have been produced using recycled materials and are sold by nonprofit environmental groups or conservation societies. If you can find elephant gifts made of recycled materials, you're not only buying a gift; you're also doing your part to purchase recycled products and conserve our natural resources.
Buying Elephant Gifts Can Help You Support Your Local Environmental Group
Many community groups that focus on recycling, nature, and environmentalism sell products that are made from recycled materials. Some of these products may feature elephants and other nature scenes on them. When you make a purchase from a nonprofit or community group, you're helping to support the organization financially.
As you can see, there are many benefits to buying elephant gifts for your loved ones. If you keep your eyes open when you're at the zoo or browsing online, you may find the perfect elephant gift and even contribute to environmentalism at the same time.
Jumbo was opening a branch office for the circus
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It was an innocent soul who designed this slide
Elephant Vids on YouTube
Endangered species...
Asian and African Elephants
An Asian elephant eating
An African elephant
While Asian and African elephants may appear similar in appearance, there are many differences that separate these two types of elephants. Both types have physical characteristics and adaptations that differ, making them better suited to their individual habitats. Understanding the differences between African and Asian elephants can help you to understand how they survive in the wild and live in harmony with nature.
Weight & Height
The Asian elephant is the smaller of the two elephants, weighing in at 3.25 to 5.5 tons. The African elephant weighs between 5.5 and 7 tons, making it anywhere from 100-3,000 pounds heavier than an Asian elephant. The African elephant is also taller than the Asian elephant with a height of 10-13 feet. The Asian elephant is only 7-12 feet tall. The differences in size between the two types of elephants are likely due to their heritage and natural habitat.
Physical Characteristics & Adaptations
There are several differences in some of the characteristics and physical adaptations that Asian and African elephants have. The Asian elephant has smaller ears than its African counterpart even though they both serve to cool the elephant when it gets too warm. The African elephant has only three toes on each hind foot, but the Asian elephant has four toes on each of the hind feet. The African elephant's back is curved while the Asian elephant's back is humped. Both types of elephants use their trunks to help them with daily activities like bathing with water, eating, and communicating with other elephants. However, the African elephant has two extremities coming from the trunk while the Asian elephant only has one. Almost all African elephants have tusks, even the females. In contrast, most female Asian elephants do not have tusks. If they do, the tusks are barely visible.
Domestic Use
There is a big difference in how African and Asian elephants have been used for domestic purposes. Asian elephants have been used for domestic purposes for many centuries. The people of Asia often use elephants as ceremonial animals and may ride these elephants during special ceremonies. Some Asian elephants have been used as working elephants for help with milling and other industrial activities. Because elephants are so tall and heavy, they are often used in forestry to knock down small trees, brush, shrubs, and undergrowth to make it easier for foresting to take place.
Behavior
Asian and African elephants behave similarly, but because their bodies are different, there are some minor differences in behavior. While female African elephants have tusks and can cut down shrubs and trees, the female Asian elephant usually does not have tusks. This may change a female's behavior when she encounters obstacles on the migratory paths that groups of elephants travel together. The differences in physical adaptations on each type of elephant also make a difference in behavior.
Elephants are truly beautiful animals that are a joy to observe. If you're interested in learning more about nature and wildlife, elephants should be at the top of your list.
Behind the Scenes
See how trainers dominate elephants and make them perform circus tricks.
"The idea that it is funny to see wild animals coerced into acting like clumsy humans, or thrilling to see powerful beasts reduced to cringing cowards by a whipcracking trainer is primitive and medieval. It stems from the old idea that we are superior to other species and have the right to hold dominion over them."
-Dr. Desmond Morris, anthropologist, animal
-Dr. Desmond Morris, anthropologist, animal
Elephant Care
Care of elephants in captivity may be very differently performed and can not be generalized. Some countries may have an advanced scientific approach, but lack "feeling" for the elephants in their collection, others may be very personally concerned with their animals, but with limited finacing and funding.
Zoos
Zoos today have developed a lot in the last 30 years, providing their elephants with more space, keeping breeding groups, and trying to have a modern approach to their management, inculding efforts to avoid chaining their elephants, and dominating their elephants too much during the day. results are less stressed elephants, but also more passive and sometimes rather apatic und physically and psychologically under stimulated. Accidents occur now and then why thers a tendency to transfer the elephant management into protected contact or off-hand.
An elephant keeper in a Zoo has the same role as every Zoo keeper: to identify and satisfy the needs of the animals. The keeper may have good or poor recources to to this, in general elephant keeper are very dedicated, almost fanatic in their interest, so if the care and management of the elephants is poor, theres more chances that the shortcoming is due to the Zoo direction and management, who lack financies or, because of less knowledge doesnt priority the well being of the elephants and time needed to spend with them.
The post-feudalistic approach from some undeveloped Zoo directors may also result in situations wehere the elephant keepers have to little time for the animals, because they have some 3-4 other species, which takes time with the daily routines.
This is an often neglected fact today, when accidents with elephants occur, and laymen critizice the traditional on-hand training method. A safe and harmonic relationship with elephants can only be based on huge amaounts of time, and if the elephant keepers is rushing around between hippos, rhinos and antilope cages the whole day, he wont be able to maintain a stressfree and calm relation with the elephants. Simple as that. But when you study even the most modern elephant houses today, they dont even have the technic farmer would start to use in 60´s, because some directors are convinced thet elephant keepers should occupy their day walking hence and forth with feces transported like people did in the middle ages.
Circuses
Circuses, on the other hand, are still run very traditional, and often keep their elephants chained many hours. The elephants are intensively worked on-hand, but are during most of the day more restricted in their movements, some may even be chained permanenty when not performing in the ring or doing reharseals. Some of them show more stress, but are often in better physical condition, and when not chained, in a good psychological condition.
In general, elephants at circus have a more restricted life, and the competence level of the elephant management is lower than in most Zoos. Economy resources may be restricted, but in general theres more people around elephants at circus, and its very seldom that someone is working the elephants alone. Accidents with staff occur, but in a low rate compared to the daily intensive manipulations by humans.
Regulations
Treatment of elephants and other circus animals in USA is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under the 1966 Animal Welfare Act. Circuses are subject to unannounced USDA inspections that make sure animals have proper nutrition, sanitation, protection from the weather and veterinary care. Violations can result in fines of up to $2,500 per day and, in extreme cases, shutting down a circus.
Zoos
Zoos today have developed a lot in the last 30 years, providing their elephants with more space, keeping breeding groups, and trying to have a modern approach to their management, inculding efforts to avoid chaining their elephants, and dominating their elephants too much during the day. results are less stressed elephants, but also more passive and sometimes rather apatic und physically and psychologically under stimulated. Accidents occur now and then why thers a tendency to transfer the elephant management into protected contact or off-hand.
An elephant keeper in a Zoo has the same role as every Zoo keeper: to identify and satisfy the needs of the animals. The keeper may have good or poor recources to to this, in general elephant keeper are very dedicated, almost fanatic in their interest, so if the care and management of the elephants is poor, theres more chances that the shortcoming is due to the Zoo direction and management, who lack financies or, because of less knowledge doesnt priority the well being of the elephants and time needed to spend with them.
The post-feudalistic approach from some undeveloped Zoo directors may also result in situations wehere the elephant keepers have to little time for the animals, because they have some 3-4 other species, which takes time with the daily routines.
This is an often neglected fact today, when accidents with elephants occur, and laymen critizice the traditional on-hand training method. A safe and harmonic relationship with elephants can only be based on huge amaounts of time, and if the elephant keepers is rushing around between hippos, rhinos and antilope cages the whole day, he wont be able to maintain a stressfree and calm relation with the elephants. Simple as that. But when you study even the most modern elephant houses today, they dont even have the technic farmer would start to use in 60´s, because some directors are convinced thet elephant keepers should occupy their day walking hence and forth with feces transported like people did in the middle ages.
Circuses
Circuses, on the other hand, are still run very traditional, and often keep their elephants chained many hours. The elephants are intensively worked on-hand, but are during most of the day more restricted in their movements, some may even be chained permanenty when not performing in the ring or doing reharseals. Some of them show more stress, but are often in better physical condition, and when not chained, in a good psychological condition.
In general, elephants at circus have a more restricted life, and the competence level of the elephant management is lower than in most Zoos. Economy resources may be restricted, but in general theres more people around elephants at circus, and its very seldom that someone is working the elephants alone. Accidents with staff occur, but in a low rate compared to the daily intensive manipulations by humans.
Regulations
Treatment of elephants and other circus animals in USA is regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under the 1966 Animal Welfare Act. Circuses are subject to unannounced USDA inspections that make sure animals have proper nutrition, sanitation, protection from the weather and veterinary care. Violations can result in fines of up to $2,500 per day and, in extreme cases, shutting down a circus.
Wholesale and Trade
If you own and or operate a retail shop or you are a trade buyer and wish to possibly become a new wholesale customer, please send us an email with your company name, address and telephone number to request our wholesale information which we'll email you.
Elephant Dung May Stop Ivory Poaching
The ivory trade was banned several years ago, but poachers have continued to kill elephants for their prized tusks. These ivory tusks are made into valuable items like figurines and jewelry that are treasured by people all over the world. The unfortunate side effect of these poachers continuing to hunt and kill elephants for their tusks is that the population of African elephants dropped quickly from over 1 million just over one-half million in a short time period. Poaching is the illegal killing of elephants so that their tusks can be harvested and smuggled to other countries so that ivory products can be produced and sold for a great deal of money. Elephant dung may actually be the key to helping to control the number of poachers getting away with this crime in the name of the ivory trade. Knowing how elephant dung can help elephants is sure to pique the interest of anyone who loves elephants and nature.
Using elephant dung and elephant skin samples, scientists have been able to map the DNA of elephants. Because scientists can now use DNA to track where an elephant has been, they are using the technology to track elephant poachers. By using the elephant DNA, scientists can trace ivory shipments back to where the elephants were originally poached. If researchers find that a large number of poachings have occurred in the same area, law enforcement can be strengthened so that these poachers will be caught and prosecuted for their illegal activities. Using this technique to track elephants is almost like a jungle version of Crime Scene Investigation. Instead of using hair samples or skin cells from humans, these scientists are using DNA found in the dung and skin of the elephant to trace where they have been.
The presence of DNA in elephant dung is a great thing for researchers. Instead of having to collect skin samples, which would be a tedious and difficult process, they can take dung samples and use the DNA in those samples to track where elephants have been. Because elephants go to the bathroom up to 16 times per day, scientists involved in this effort have a lot of samples to choose from. It makes it a little easier for them to track the elephants when they keep finding evidence that leads them closer and closer to the scene of the poaching. This method is usually used to work backwards. Law enforcement officials may confiscate a shipment of ivory or arrest someone who is suspected of being involved in the ivory trade. The surrounding area is analyzed and investigators search for DNA. Instead of looking to find the killer where the ivory is, these scientists then backtrack, checking dung samples along the way for any signs of the same DNA. When DNA matching the DNA found at the scene of the ivory confiscation is found, they follow the trail until it loads to where an elephant was poached. This is a very interesting way scientists are using technology to help keep elephants safer.
So Funny! Elephant Vids
Very Funny: Elephants at waterhole Part 1
Watch this through till the end!! Elephants drinking and playing at waterhole in Addo Elephant Park South Africa, Very funny in the middle (end of Part 1)! Recorded with Casio S770 and split in 2 Parts.
Runtime: 3:20
18624 views
10 Comments:
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SemperFidelis
Thanks for stopping by my Recycling lens today. I liked this Poo Poo Paper lens so much I featured it on this module. Keep up the good work. :o) Posted October 25, 2007 |
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durrob
paper made out of poo, whoda thunk it. Great info Posted October 20, 2007 |
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Christopher_Scott
Gotta love the recycling. Posted October 20, 2007 |
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jasmineann
Very Interesting lens. Excellent information. I learnt something new here and it is an enjoyable read. 5 star! Thank you :) Posted October 20, 2007 |
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Reggie_Marigold
Who knew a lens about poo could be so entertaining? Great job! Posted October 19, 2007 |
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SPF
I think this is a really informative and interesting lens. Great information. I don't think it has the right focus for my Backyard Habitat group, though. I have enjoyed reading this. Thank you for submitting. 5*s! Posted October 16, 2007 |
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Rushford08
Thanks guys! I really appreciate your comments. Posted October 16, 2007 |
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Rushford08
Thanks guys! I really appreciate your comments. Posted October 16, 2007 |
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doggydooman
Lots of important information. 5*! Posted October 16, 2007 |
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GramaBarb
Wow! A very impressive lens - a 5* visit!! Posted October 16, 2007 |
