Elephant Trunk Contents
The Elephant Trunk contains supplementary materials that can be used for enriching classroom discussion about ivory, poaching, and conservation. The Elephant Trunk includes:
- Elephant Project Curriculum Binder
- simulated ivory artifacts
- elephant tooth replica
- African Map Poster
- African Threatened Species Map
- Periodic Table of Species Poster
- NatGeo - Battle for the Elephants DVD
- stamp set and elephant toy
- books about African elephants and conservation
- extra box of clear microtubes for lab
Elephant Photo Galleries
- Photographer Nick Brandt and the Big Life Foundation
The Big Life Foundation's web site is rich with images and stories.
Topics under "Area of Operation" include Ecosystem, Man vs. Wildlife, Crop Raiding, Bush Meat, the Animals, the Trouble with China, and Long Term Solutions.
Helping the Community includes Education, Employment, School. - Elephant Photos at National Geographic
A gallery of elephant photos submitted by photographers - African Elephants By Charlotte Ballog
A gallery of elephant photos taken in Tanzania by Charlotte Ballog
Research articles
- PLOS ONE: Devastating Decline of Forest Elephants in Central AfricaFiona Maisels et al. March 4, 2013. African forest elephants– taxonomically and functionally unique–are being poached at accelerating rates, but we lack range-wide information on the repercussions. Analysis of the largest survey dataset ever assembled for forest elephants (80 foot-surveys; covering 13,000 km; 91,600 person-days of fieldwork) revealed that population size declined by ca. 62% between 2002–2011, and the taxon lost 30% of its geographical range. The population is now less than 10% of its potential size, occupying less than 25% of its potential range. High human population density, hunting intensity, absence of law enforcement, poor governance, and proximity to expanding infrastructure are the strongest predictors of decline. To save the remaining African forest elephants, illegal poaching for ivory and encroachment into core elephant habitat must be stopped. In addition, the international demand for ivory, which fuels illegal trade, must be dramatically reduced.
- PLOS ONE: Will Elephants Soon Disappear from West African Savannahs?Philippe Bouché et al. June 22, 2011. This article is rich in data that easily offers opportunities for students to analyze data and draw conclusions (consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards).
Articles Relating to Conservation and Elephants
- DNA From Elephant Dung, Tusks Reveals Poaching Hot SpotsAn article from National Geographic published June 18, 2015 describing elephant conservation and the Wasser lab.
- Drones being used in the fight against poachersScientific American June 20, 2014. A Google search will turn up many articles on this topic.
- Blood Ivory/Ivory WorshipArticle published in National Geographic October, 2012. Recommended by SEP teacher Jennifer Duncan-Taylor, a member of the team who developed SEP's Elephant Project.
- Brief interview of author Bryan ChristyShort video interview of reporter Bryan Christy who wrote the National Geographic article "Blood Ivory: Ivory Worship." (3.5 minutes)
- PBS video: Battle for the Elephants (2013)Recommended by SEP teacher Jennifer Duncan-Taylor, who is a member of the original team that created SEP's Elephant Project. The PBS webpage offers additional resources. One is a link to Nature: The Elephant; the information there is brief, so offers a short introduction to the issues. It looks like the information is from 1997.
- Map of Elephant DNA Reveals Trail of Ivory SmugglersUsing a DNA map of Africa's elephants, most recent seizures of tusks can be traced to animals that had grazed in the Selous and Niassa game reserves on the Tanzania and Mozambique borders.
- Thailand to End Domestic Ivory Trade (3/3/2013)(Reuters) Thailand will end its domestic ivory trade, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced on Sunday, promising legislation that could help the country avoid international trade sanctions after criticism by environmental education groups.
- Agony and Ivory by Alex ShoumatoffIn depth article with many photographs—published in Vanity Fair, August 2011.
- Illegal ivory newsTRAFFIC articles concerning ivory. This site posts current stories.
- Elephants, Ivory, and TradeAn article in Science, published March 12, 2010. Sam Wasser is the lead author in this Policy Forum paper.
- Slaughter Fears Over Poaching RiseAn article from BBC News, August 2009, concerning the rise of poaching in parts of Africa.
- Sale of elephant-tusk stockpiles may encourage poaching, experts worrySeattle Times article published March 11, 2010.
- Kenya elephant deaths soar as ivory sales debatedSeattle Times article published March 12. 2010.
- Asian ivory trade poses danger to African elephantSeattle Times article on illegal ivory trade in China; published May 15, 2010.
Scenarios
Who Dung It? (2002)
Who Dung It? is the original curriculum developed in 2002. The scenario starts at SEA-TAC Airport returning for HongKong. Someone close to you is being held by customs for an ivory piece found in their luggage. You have to find out if this ivory was illegally obtained.
ICCWC Agent Scenarios
These alternate scenarios were developed to address the current urgent context of elephant poaching. These scenarios emphasize the connection between illegal ivory and terrorist groups.
Useful Links
- INTERPOL's Wildlife Crime WebsiteWildlife crime is the taking, trading, exploiting or possessing of the world’s wild flora and fauna in contravention of national and international laws.
Web links to various sites concerning conservation.
- TRAFFICThe wildlife trade monitoring network
- NY Times updates on elephantsNews about Elephants, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
- New York Times updates on ivoryNews about Ivory, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.
- Nature Conservancy article: The Price of PoachingAug/Sept 2014
Four selected web resources identified by SEP Lead Teachers, July 2014:
http://www.liveviewgps.com/blog/elephants-fitted-gps-tracking-collars-thwart-ivory-tusks-poaching/
http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/tracking-the-ivory-trade-s-gory-trail-1.1244456
http://theconversation.com/plan-to-build-csi-elephant-uses-dna-forensics-to-track-poachers-28238
Below are two alternative scenarios to setup the Elephant Project, placing the work in the current urgent context of extreme levels of elephant poaching.
Kit Description
The Elephant Trunk contains The Elephant Project curriculum and the supplementary resources to enrich The Elephant Project experience. This problem-based curriculum integrates Internet research, DNA analysis, and bioethical issues as students track down the origins of a piece of confiscated ivory. Students discover how modern biomolecular research tools can help conserve a species, in this case the African elephant.
SEP teachers and staff collaborated in developing this learning experience in 2000. Like most SEP kits, it offers a menu of options so that teachers can modify the materials and protocols to match their teaching situation.
To learn more about the current status of African elephant populations and to understand the methods used by staff at the UW Center for Conservation Biology, use the links to current articles and web resources in the boxes below.
NOTES:
- SEP Teachers must attend a training workshop to sign up for an Elephant Trunk.
- The Elephant Trunk does NOT contain the DNA or the gel electrophoresis equipment necessary to teach The Elephant Project. SEP teachers should sign up for a Gel Electrophoresis kit or supplies in addition to an Elephant Trunk.
Ivory Cache (Updated Elephant Unit)
Ivory
Elephant Poaching Youtube Playlists
- Science Behind the Forensics | Youtube PlaylistYoutube playlist of videos explaining the science behind the forensics.
- Elephant Intelligence & Emotions | YouTube PlaylistCollection of interesting clips that show proofs and displays of elephant intelligence and emotions.
Sam Wasser
Meet Trip Jennings as he helps Sam Wasser protect elephants.
Additional Web Resources
The SEP Elephant Trunk curriculum is based on the groundbreaking work of the University of Washington's Dr. Sam Wasser. Here are several links concerning his conservation work.
- HHMI: CSI Wildlife
HHMI created an interactive online lab for DNA profiling to investigate elephant poaching. The scenarios are based on actual cases published by Wasser, S.K., et al. in Science (2015). - The Center for Conservation BiologyUsing innovative research, education, and public outreach to address the impacts on threatened and endangered species around the world.
- Tracking Poached Elephant IvoryOur goal is to identify poaching hot spots and potential trade routes by determining the geographic origin of large volumes of contraband ivory seized by wildlife authorities.
- Elephant Ivory as an ESL Learning ToolThis creative website uses current events to teach ESL - this particular lesson concerns elephant poaching and ivory.
- Selecting for Tusklessness
"Most African elephants have tusks, but some—about 2 to 6% of females and even fewer males—never grow them. Elephant tusks are important for obtaining food and water, and essential to male elephants for competing for mates, so there is strong natural selection for having tusks. But the proportion of tuskless elephants has increased in some populations."
Conserving African Elephants
Roosevelt High School student Bonnie Henwood made this fantastic video, Conserving African Elephants, for the 2012 BioExpo.
Amazing photographs of elephants and people working to protect them
- Photographer Nick Brandt and the Big Life FoundationThe Big Life Foundation's web site is rich with images and stories.
Topics under "Area of Operation" include Ecosystem, Man vs. Wildlife, Crop Raiding, Bush Meat, the Animals, the Trouble with China, and Long Term Solutions.
Helping the Community includes Education, Employment, School. - Elephant Photos at National GeographicA gallery of elephant photos submitted by photographers
Links to maps
- Reference Map of Areas Scientists have collect dung samples
Reference map of areas scientists have collect dung samples. This is part of HHMI's larger CSI Wildlife interactive digital resource.
