El Jefe, Tim, and Cecil: The Case For Naming Animals
Why conservationists like Paula Kahumbu say naming wild animals makes sense.
Vicki talks with Here&Now’s Robin Young and Peter O’Dowd:
Tim, a huge elephant in Amboseli National Park. Dr. Paula Kahumbu of WildlifeDirect says: “I know for a fact that Kenyans are falling in love with elephants because they now know that there is magnificent guy called Tim who is the stud and the heartthrob of all the girl elephants in Amboseli. The first thing they ask at the gate is: ‘where is Tim?’” Photo courtesy of: Paul Obuna/WildlifeDirect.
Tim with a couple of other male elephants in Amboseli. Dr. Kahumbu says Tim has taught the other elephants a few tricks. Tim has been radio collared to help keep him safe and to help safely stop him from raiding farms outside the park. Photo courtesy of: Paul Obuna/WildlifeDirect.
We caught up with Dr. Kahumbu at the Rethinking Animals Summit earlier this month in New York. The beadwork on her jacket was done by women in the Amboseli area as part of a new project with the community. Photo: Christen Goguen.