“On 7 February 2009 — now known as Black Saturday — a massive firestorm consumed more than 400,000 hectares in southern Australia.” Australia’s terrain is very prone to suffer from wildfires on more occasions than expected. Order and restoration is desperately needed within Australia’s ecosystem. The article, “Conservation: Bring Elephants to Australia,” suggests that introducing an “über-herbivore” will aid in controlling the flammable grasses and its spread across the Australia. Such über-herbivore is later named to be the elephant. Before deciding to introduce a mammal that is not an Australian native to deal with the increasing wildfires that are occurring, the elephants’ normal habitat must be considered as well as their diet and any issues that might arise with the Australia’s population.
While the author did not state specifically which type of elephants, African or Asian, should be introduced to Australia’s continent, it is important to determine risks that are involved with either species. African savannah elephants are found in savannah zones, areas such as western and central Africa, while Asian elephants are found in countries such as Sri Lanka, India and China. The typical climate in the savannah biome ranges from 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit and Asia has a tropical-hot, humid climate. Taking these climates into consideration, Australia’s climate must now be examined; survival of the elephants must be considered as well. Australia’s climate is 40% desert with only the eastern and northern areas having temperate weather. Thus, regardless of which species is introduced to Australia, there must be some type of physical boundary that exists in order to prevent elephants going into areas that they are not equipped to survive in. Elephants are already considered as an endangered species and removing them from their native areas may provoke a negative response killing even more elephants.
“80% of an elephant’s day is spent feeding; [consuming] grasses, small plants, bushes, fruit, twigs, tree bark, and roots.” The Nature article, “Conservation: Bring Elephants to Australia” says that a major “source of fuel” for Australia’s wildfires is gamba grass, a giant African grass that has “invaded” Australia’s savannas. While it can be understood that an animal large enough to consume the gamba grass needs to be introduced to Australia, that animal’s diet needs to be carefully examined. Being that the gamba grass, which is the main issue surrounding the wildfires, is an African plant, will Asian elephants respond differently than African elephants? Even if both the Asian and African elephants eat the gamba grass along with all the other vegetation that Australia has to offer, what will be their limit? As earlier stated, elephants spend majority of their day eating grasses. If elephants are introduced to Australia’s continent, there must be some type of barrier present that not only prevents them from going into areas that they are not equipped to survive in but also areas that can not supply their eating habits. Caution must be exercised in order to make sure that there is still vegetation left once elephants are done feeding.
If there are no precautions made surrounding the possibility that the elephants may eat more than expected, then Australia may be presented with yet another problem: barren land. The elephants, depending on how many are introduced to Australia, will eat and eat and eat to the point where vegetation will be lacking in Australia. This may provide even more fuel for the wildfires that occur in Australia. The dry conditions will make conditions even more favorable for wildfires to spark, destroying the rest of Australia’s vegetation.
Since 1990, incidents have been reported including “15 human deaths and more than 135 injuries to humans [due to elephants]”. This data is representative just for elephants that are located in the United States. The only elephants that exist in the United States are those that are held in captivity, whether it is in a zoo or in the circus. If there are so many accidents present in the United States with elephants that are held in captivity, imagine how many incidents there could be with elephants that are free to roam wherever they please in Australia. If the gamba grass that the article stated as being a major source of fuel for the wildfires is anywhere close to urbanization, then elephants cannot be the chosen “über-herbivore” that the article wishes to introduce to Australia.
Elephants that are constantly surrounded by bright lights and the constant roar of the city will become agitated and release their frustrations to near by buildings or even people. Elephants are massive, powerful animals that must be respected and humans must cautiously coexist with them in their own, natural habitats, not introduced habitats that are proposed solutions to fix wildfires.
Australia’s continent is constantly suffering from wildfires, due to the masive spread of gamba grass. Gamba grass is an African plant that is massive and most Australian herbivores are not big enough to consume it. This is the main reason that the Nature article suggests that elephants be introduced to Australia; they are big enough to consume the mass amount of gamba grass that is invading Australia. However, other important factors must be examined including the elephants’ diet and habitat, as well as concerns that Australia’s population might need to consider. Because of the threats that elephants pose to Australia’s population and vegetation, they are not the correct choice to try to eliminate wildfires that are rampant in Australia. More consideration should be placed behind the idea of bringing an “über-herbivore” into Australia in order to the animal that best fits the needs of Australia and that will also keep the animal safe and comfortable.
Sources:
http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/pdf/Elephant-Incident-List-US-only.pdf
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/elephants/diet.htm
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