The trade in elephant and rhino tusks and horns in Africa has long been a booming market. The coins are in high demand, particularly in Asian markets, where they are valued for their traditional beliefs and medicine, as well as being a symbol of status and wealth. Therefore, both animals suffer greatly from hunting in the region, making them vulnerable to extinction.
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To combat this problem, some rhino wildlife conservation groups have taken to painting the horns to “damage” the targeted part and deter poachers. Inspired by the practice, conservation projects have discussed the possibility of also applying paint to elephants, but the strategy raises a series of ethical, practical and scientific concerns.
“Painting the tusks is more harmful than beneficial for elephants. In addition to the risks for individuals, its practical effect is doubtful: determined hunters could still kill the animal and try to remove the paint or sell the ivory. The logistical cost also makes the technique unfeasible, as the procedure would have to be repeated periodically as the ivory grows,” points out Mayara Faleiro, professor of biology, from Colégio Católica Brasília.
The difficulties begin from the beginning of the process: as it is the largest land mammal, capturing and sedating an elephant is not easy, as it requires large amounts of anesthesia, which can easily stress the animal or even cause its death.
There is also a risk of chemicals in the paint getting into the teeth, which can cause pain and inflammation. In addition, intense contact with humans can make the wild animal vulnerable, become accustomed to humans and thus become easier prey. “Although the idea was well-intentioned, it has not proven to be adequate or safe,” says the biologist.
Why might this practice work on rhinos but not elephants?
Although they are similar, the horns and tusks have different compositions: while rhinos’ structure is made of keratin – a material similar to human nails – and has no nerves on the outside, elephant tusks represent their incisors. In other words, the place is home to the dental pulp, which is full of nerves and blood vessels.
“Piercing the ivory would cause extreme pain to the animal, similar to exposing a dental canal, in addition to opening the door to serious or fatal infections. There is also a risk of poisoning, because, unlike the inert horn, the tusk has a direct link to the blood circulation, allowing the injected toxins to kill the elephant,” explains biology professor Cristhian Gomes Tavares da Silva, of the Rio International School, in Rio de Janeiro. Janeiro.
According to the biologist, most of the images circulating on the Internet are false, because this practice only applies to rhinos. “What we see on elephants is a myth. These montages have gone viral, but no serious conservation project paints or injects paint into elephant tusks,” da Silva points out.
Methods that actually prevent the extinction of animals
For the experts interviewed by Metropolisesthe position is clear: there are strategies that work much more than painting the ivory of elephants and even rhinos. Among the main ones are:
- Use of drones, acoustic sensors, thermal cameras and GPS collars to monitor animals;
- Carry out educational campaigns that mobilize the population to protect animals;
- Offer jobs to the population through ecotourism or environmental protection programs;
- Increase specialized police actions to combat hunting;
- Have stricter laws and create international collaborative partnerships.
Horns and tusks are valuable items on the international market
“Studies published in 2015 and 2018 have shown that the incidence of poaching is much more linked to social condition. In places where the concentration of poverty is higher, there is a greater chance that this type of opportunistic hunting will occur, with the aim of obtaining financial resources,” explains biology professor Fabricio Escarlate, from Centro Universitário de Brasília (Ceub).
For him, the results clearly show that social policies aimed at reducing poverty would be much more effective measures to control hunting than painting the teeth or horns of animals.
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