UGANDA and its iconic elephants

THere was a time when
60,000 Elephants roamed Uganda
Not so long ago in real terms
They
The architects of the environment
Able to sustain
All the other animals
With everything to gain

From their footprint
Then agriculture raised its mechanical head
People moved in,mhunters moved in,habitats its said
Were taken by the humans
And elephants then saw
Their numbers ravaged wretchedly
More and more and more

Were slaughtered by the hunters
Till the numbers dropped down to
1000 mostly orphans
Very very few
Pushed into small corridors
Ivory you see
Meant more to African business
Than the elephants so we

Soon realised their demise was nigh
This keynote species was
Being shot from under out feet
Really just because
Nobody was worried
And nobody much did care
But now they are employing rangers
To protect them everywhere

Tourism is a big thing
In Uganda today
And it doesnt make sense to kill the golden goose
Now, so lets say
The rangers have made a difference
For the heritage breeds must be
Saved from all this hunting
Thats terrible to see

THe far east was the market
For Europe and the UK
Have banned articles made of it
But still they get away
With liars and cheats and officials
Who all turn a blind eye
With money in their pockets
Ofcourse the blighters lie

Since the Idi Amin era Peace has been
The order of the day
And the numbers have been increasing
To some 5000 but still way
More could be accomodated
If they wanted to
So wild life and conservation
Are doing now what they do

Putting paid to the bad days
Of history that saw
Thousands of deaths
From hunting parties
Some breaking the law
The Poachers will to murder
The elephants at will
Ignorant of their value
Which now is growing still

www.ugandawildlife.org