Poaching is a major problem in South Africa for a number of animal species that are seeing dwindling numbers from the cruel act.
Among one of the animal types that are affected by poaching are elephants because of their valuable ivory tusks, and a recent involvement with a bull elephant in South Africa named Ben is getting a lot of attention on the internet after a heart-breaking story.
The animal, which is noted to be about 30 years old, is said to have walked itself right over to a safari lodge on Lake Kariba with bullet wounds in its side and ear. Of course, with the wounds where it was, the walk couldn’t have been all that pleasant. Witnesses say the elephant was limping.
Those familiar with the indecent describe the way the elephant approached them in such a way that the elephant appeared to be looking for help. A veterinarian on the scene was able to tranquilize the animal and treat its wounds.
"The dart went into his rump perfectly and he only moved off a short distance in the seven minutes before he went down,” Nick Milne, the trust manager at the Bumi Hills Foundation, told News24. “He also landed perfectly on his haunches with his right side up a slope, the perfect position considering we needed to work on his left side."
In treating the wound, veterinarians had disinfected the wound to prevent bacterial infections, apply medicine, and administer fly repellant to keep flies from snacking on the elephant’s flesh.
Those treating Ben were reportedly unable to find a bullet with metal detectors, so the elephant is scheduled for a follow-up check in a couple of weeks to see how it’s doing. In the meantime, he has been given a tracking collar that will allow veterinarians to keep track of him.
Whether or not the elephant was actually asking for mankind’s help is a theory that leaves a lot to be desired, but now that the elephant received help for its wounds, hopefully it can heal back up and return to its habitat never to be met with violence like this again.
There are anti-poaching measures in South Africa, but even the strictest of security can't prevent all occurances of criminals who want to make money using the black market.
Source: The Telegraph