Elephants in Danger: African Droughts, A Sign of Our Times

In Saturday’s DM, which corresponded with the feast day of St. Francis, we remembered the beautiful life and inspiring accomplishments of Jane Goodall. As a young woman, she chose to travel from England to Africa to live among chimpanzees and learn more about them up close and personal. 

And how her devotion to the chimpanzee nation inspired other young women to become scientists themselves. And how Jane broke new ground regarding questions we ask about relationships between our species and others’ species. How much we have in common with them, and how so often we underestimate the intelligence and habits of those of the animal kingdom who have, after all, survived and thrived and learned often for millions of years longer than us humans. (I think of whales for example, who have been here 56 million years longer than homo sapiens.)

Another warrior on behalf of animals is Kristal Parks, whom I have written about previously in these DMs, here and here. 

Kristal is a champion for the elephant nation. She is on her way to Botswana this week, to join a couple who have made it their passion to assist elephants with watering holes, of which they are in dire need because of global warming.* Elephants can smell water 12 miles away, and the droughts in Africa have created a desperate situation. Kristal is hoping to learn more about how we can help them.

I highly recommend the enclosed trailer of a movie on what elephants are challenged with at this critical time. Mother Earth is under stress due to climate change, and too many humans are denying this reality. Elephants too are paying the price for human cold-heartedness, uncaring, rationalizations, lies, and just plain hiding our heads in the sand about the truth of climate change. Republican Party, I am talking to you.

This statistic alone ought to wake up everyone who gives a damn about these amazing creatures: In the 19^th century there were 26 million elephants in Africa. Today, there are 350,000. Obviously, not all this loss is due to climate change—but most of it is due to human beings using and abusing these beautiful animals and their habitat.

When we say Mother Earth as we know her is dying, the elephant demise is one story that lays the reality out for all to see. We are fast approaching a time when the Earth may be devoid of elephants. Is this fact enough to awaken humans to our responsibility? Are we our brothers’ keeper? Are we loving our four-legged neighbors as ourselves? Or not? Are elephants original blessings worth saving?

Kristal tells us that when she was living in Kenya several years ago, a tribal chief told her that in their tradition there is this teaching: That elephants are human in every way and that humans learned how to be truly human from observing elephants. This includes their rituals of helping one another in need and of honoring their dead and even the places where they die.

The chief also taught her that if elephants go extinct, humanity will go crazy. That we cannot live or be ourselves without the elephant nation.

These are sobering teachings. This news is worthy of headlines. 

Through fasting, non-violent protest, and media prodding a few years ago, Kristal was instrumental in getting Ringling Brothers to cease their practices of incarcerating elephants. Let us wish her God speed on this latest pilgrimage.

If you want to support elephants and those who are caring for them as best they can in today’s Africa, you are welcome to give a tax-free donation at Matthew Fox Legacy Project, a 5013c. We will see that 100% of the donation goes to them via Kristal. Write “elephants” on your check.

* See: “Elephant Refugees” Trailer

To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video meditation, click HERE.

Banner Image: A savanna elephant family drinks from a pond in South Africa. Photo by Bernard Dupont. Wikimedia Commons.

Queries for Contemplation

What do these ancient teachings mean to you, that elephants taught humans how to be human and that if they go extinct, humans will go crazy? How do you see the plight of our fellow animals helping penetrate the denial of climate change, and the species narcissism alive and well in much of America today?

Related Readings by Matthew Fox

Original Blessing: A Primer in Creation Spirituality.

Order of the Sacred Earth: An Intergenerational Vision of Love and Action by Matthew Fox, Skylar Wilson, and Jen Listug

The Coming of the Cosmic Christ: The Healing of Mother Earth and the Birth of a Global Renaissance.

In the Beginning There Was Joy.

A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice.

Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth.

Essential Writings on Creation Spirituality.