The largest elephant relocation effort in history has finally come to a successful end.
A total of 520 elephants were taken from two separate conservation spaces -- Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve -- and moved more than 200 miles to their new home in Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.
SEE ALSO:Intense video shows elephant stranded at sea being saved by rescuersVeterinarians and conservationists from African Parks, a non-governmental and non-profit organization that manages parks and protected areas, carried out the massive translocation in the span of two years.
African Parks announced the completion of the effort on Twitter on Aug. 2
We have successfully completed one of the world’s largest elephant translocations #WelcometheHerd #500Elephants https://t.co/lhaQZ2H3qI pic.twitter.com/GXyFOiEng0
— African Parks (@AfricanParks) August 2, 2017
The relocation involved capturing and sedating all the elephants one by one, with sedation being a crucial step in relocating the six-ton pachyderms.
The tranquilizers are made of a synthetic opioid that's 10,000 times more potent than morphine. One drop of it could kill a human within seconds. Conservationists managed to tranquilize the elephants from helicopters and then used cranes to move the elephants onto trucks.
SEE ALSO:Once again, here's why people should think twice about riding elephantsBeing social animals, it was vital that close family groups were moved together. This helped to reduce the elephants' stress and increased the chance of them successfully adapting to their new environment.
Kaddu Sebunya, African Wildlife Foundation president, thanked African Parks for the completion of the effort.
Thank you @AfricanParks for telling a heroic African conservation story to the world. #500elephants. We applaud you. https://t.co/Pvm2GJQr9S pic.twitter.com/r7GZ0K1mOW
— Kaddu Sebunya (@AWFPresident) August 3, 2017
Overcrowding in their former reserves -- as elephant populations have grown and civilization has crept closer and closer -- has led to intensifying conflicts with humans. Conservationists hope that the new home will give the elephants more space and improved safety.
Many of the transported elephants had been victims of violence, a fact evidenced by bullet-shaped holes in their ears.
According to National Geographic, African Parks officials hope Nkhotakota will become one of Malawi’s leading elephant wildlife reserves and help improve the region’s employment and tourism opportunities.
As for the elephants themselves, the newly transplanted gentle giants creates a more even distribution of their population across both their original homes and their new one, creating a safer environment for growth.
TopicsActivismAnimals
(责任编辑：焦點)
What brands need to know about virtual reality
This white horse holds the key to two major 'Game of Thrones' fan theories
Lucky mom gives birth to family's first girl in over 100 years
'The Huntsman: Winter's War' is terrifically bad, accent on 'terrific'This coloring book is here for all your relationship goalsOld lady swatting at a cat ends up in Photoshop battle
We all have that relative who gets annoyed with the cat.
。This timeless photo of an old woman shooing
...[详细]WhatsApp is back online in Brazil after 24
Facebook's WhatsApp is back online in Brazil after the service was temporarily banned Monday, follow
...[详细]Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas are the latest to cancel North Carolina shows
Following the lead of fellow high-profile artists like Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam, Demi Lovato
...[详细]Genius pizzeria in Brooklyn has developed a pizza box made out of pizza
Finally, someone decided to resolve the whole "round pizza, square box" problem. And, of course, the
...[详细]Mom discovers security cameras hacked, kids' bedroom livestreamed
A mother in Houston, Texas woke up one morning to pretty much every parent's worst-case scenario. 。 "
...[详细]Former Top Gear presenters plotting new community for motoring fans
LONDON -- Motoring fans are set to get a new online community later this year, courtesy of the ex-To
...[详细]Girl body shamed into wearing vice principal's jacket at prom
After spending time meticulously picking out the perfect dress, styling your hair and putting on mak
...[详细]The Australian government decides it's really into Bitcoin
Is it because the creator of Bitcoin could, just maybe, be an Aussie?The day after the mysterious Cr
...[详细]Tourist survives for month in frozen New Zealand wilderness after partner dies
A tourist from the Czech Republic, whose partner fell to his death, survived a harrowing month in th
...[详细]
The sad truth is most Chromebooks are cheap and underpowered -- $200 to $300 laptops that are just b
...[详细]This 'sh*tpost' bot makes terrible memes so you don't have to
Google's MODE bands make it easier to switch up styles on Android Wear
