Africa - the hunter by busi2ness
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No AI - This artwork was created entirely by hand or with traditional digital tools.
Description
An elephant eats 200kg of plant matter daily and can uproot a 100 year old tree just for a quick snack of its roots.
Should elephant be killed (culled to control their numbers), should they die of starvation when old (a cruel, humiliating death) or should they be administered contraceptive injections? Not an easy question!
During the bush war back in the 70's we slept in a valley one night just to wake up the next morning to discover a lone bull's track on both sides of one of our mates!
Personally: Will I ever hunt an animal that had so much respect for human life? I doubt it...

Comments (12)
I love elephants!!! They are the sweetest of all animals....and i dont know one personally, lol. 200kg huh? WOW!!! Thats ALOT!!! Well like i always said....big engine...lots of fuel. As far as hunting goes....im against it regardless of the species. Theres nothing sader than people hunting for sports. Beautiful photo of that magnificent animal. Have a great day. #:O)
Beautiful capture of this elephant. Save the elephants is my thoughts. Aloha
wonderful capture and find !! I am against any kind of hunting how wonderful it is that you can actully walk outside and see these beautiful creatures in the wild .. have to go to a zoo for it here!!
Very good capture and beautiful moment!!! excellent done my friend ;) kiss
Very funny and lovely shot ! Elefants are a wonder, and so intelligent too ! Photographical hunt is the better one, and I like your respect for Mother Nature and her creatures. If everybody should be as us... the world will be better ;o))))
He looks so sad! Elefants, or any living being shouldn't be killed but what to do with the human greed? Or, maybe, excentricity!? I love animals and don't accept any reason for killing but mankind is so diversous...sigh Excellent photo!!
The question is how in earlier times nature regulated the number of elephants.... They have no real predators except when they're young, but I guess nature will have had some kind of feedback to regulate their populations somehow. Thrilling capture here, Piet, I actually though I heard it! Excellent work! :)
I think those questions all have two fold answers. Culling is not the best way to solve a bad situation, especially one caused by man (keeping the elephants confined in one area). So to stop having to cull they came up with contraceptive injections. More humane. As to starving, this is natures method of culling the weak to keep the species strong. Maybe this is where human intervention can be positive, by elimating the prolonged pain. Not sure though, just an uneducated humble guess. Great photo Piet. Which park was this one taken at?
SusiQ, thank you for a well balanced answer to a very delicate situation. These choices do not come easy and any one decision, has a lot of human emotion involved. By the way: the photo was taken from the restaurant at Shingwedzi, Kruger National Park.
I must say I've never heard of elephant contraceptives before! But, then I am ignorant on this topic. I can't stand to see animals in captivity - like at zoos. I also think of who was here first...and wonder about those boundaries. Why do human think they need to control everything? How far does respect for life really extend? I have no answers, only questions. Wow...thanks for taking my mind off of MY troubles.. lol :0)
i can't imagine just seeing a herd walk by out in the open.. ummm... now weren't they here first..
You make a poignant statement! And I agree with your sentiments. Wonderful shot and words!