Some conservationists want to re-introduce elephants to Europe

[Montero]

What a lovely thought on a grey morning.

Rewilding: conservationists want to let elephants loose in Europe – here’s what could happen

It sounds like a mammoth plan, but bringing back large herbivore species to Europe could help mitigate ecosystem collapse.

theconversation.com

I am now picturing an elephant using the Eiffel Tower as a scratching post.....

 

[AlexH]

I'd love more rewilding to happen, but police shot a beautiful albino deer dead in Merseyside a couple of days ago because it went into the town. The wording they used for justification of killing the animal was disgustingly euphemistic too.

Beavers are being reintroduced in areas of the UK, but there's so much red tape and expense involved it's ridiculous. Also note how even with the proposed elephant reintroduction, it's because it'd be for humanity's benefit. It's never done because it's the right thing to do.

I'm sorry to ruin your lovely thought, but the above is what I see as realistic.

 

[Mon0Zer0]

I absolutely love elephants. They are incredible, majestic, beautiful, intelligent creatures. One of my enduring memories is going to Pinawalla elephant sanctuary and seeing acres and acres of land given over to hundreds of elephants. When you crest the hill into the sanctuary proper it's really like Jurassic Park when he first sees the dinosaurs and the theme begins to play. i don't have the superlatives to express it properly.

But a bull elephant on musth is a terrifying sight. I can't imagine that elephants being as they are, wouldn't cause big problems in Europe. Do we even have the free land for them to roam? They need a lot of space, and ancient roads for them to follow their migratory instinct.

 

[Montero]

Yes, I mentioned this to a friend who promptly said "and how would you keep them off motorways?" which is quite a thought.

A ram in the breeding season can be stroppy, yes, a bull giving you the eyeball when you're on foot in a quiet country lane with nowhere to run to is worse, so multiplying up to elephant.....

In terms of Europe, do need to remember the parts of Eastern Europe where the countryside is de-populating because there has been a big migration to cities - there would be space there and I think elephants would give wolves a run for their money....

In Kenya they have tracker collars on a couple of key females in as many lion prides as they can, so they can track the movement of prides and warn villagers when it is time to keep the cattle at home. So there could be trackers on elephant herds and elephant warnings.
But yes, if someone suggested even herds of cattle being allowed to roam free through city centres.....

@AlexH - I think there is a lot of worry about "health and safety" and being seen not to protect public, hand in hand with a lack of understanding of animals. By the very nature of crime, I suspect that statistically most police spend most time in cities and not out and about in the countryside.
That being said I have seen police in our very rural area doing their best to herd sheep out of where they shouldn't be.
Round here, there are a surprising number of people with farming roots, friends and relatives around here - well not surprising unless you've spent a lot of time living in cities. Get to chatting in shops, to the osteopath, the optician and there are very few people around here who don't understand animals and farms to some extent, so maybe the police I saw herding sheep were relatively local.

And you didn't ruin my lovely thought I was curious as to how it would work, if it could. It is a bit of a step up from folks wanting to re-wild Britain with lynx and wolves. It is lovely that they are thinking so big, and how lovely to have such a whacky thought enter my day was more the mood.

The article is highlighting there could be a lot of ecological problems from elephants. Haven't covered other aspects.

And if the elephants were really successful, would we then need to introduce lions to control the elephants?

 

[Danny McG]

I think it would be easier to control their numbers if you ensured only males were born.
It might help if they mix in a little frog DNA as well

 

[Montero]

??
Why frog DNA?
And why not all females if you want single sex? They won't go into musth.

ETA Is this a Jurassic Park reference and they change sex or summat? Memory is faded on that film.

 

[BAYLOR]

Given how densely populated Europe is that wouldn't practical or possible. Also Elephants would have a hard time dealing wit the colder climate of Europe.

 

[Montero]

Eastern Europe has a lot more space as a lot of villages have been abandoned with people moving to cities.

Not saying I am in favour of free range elephants, but just discussing. Not sure where I stand - at a safe distance for a start.

 

[BAYLOR]

Eastern Europe has a lot more space as a lot of villages have been abandoned with people moving to cities.

Not saying I am in favour of free range elephants, but just discussing. Not sure where I stand - at a safe distance for a start.

Believe it or not, Id like to see them attempt it.

 

[Montero]

We've just watched a two part programme on an elephant hospital in Thailand. Wonderful to see the elephants and all their quirks. (Some sad bits too. )

 

[Montero]

This is quite interesting on trying to work out Hannibal's route over the alps

The truth about Hannibal’s route across the Alps

How exactly did the Carthaginian general and his elephants reach Italy? Scientists have got their hands dirty to come up with an answer

www.theguardian.com

They are looking at old accounts and trying to match it to the terrain, and also looking at a mud layer that is suggestive that an army came through.