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Will elephant contraception work in South Africa?
Wildlife conservationists believe it is likely to become the way to control South Africa's ever-expanding elephant population.
But the plans have provoked considerable controversy (значительное противоречие).
Some of the country's most eminent elephant experts are completely opposed to the contraception programme. Elephants eat an estimated(оценивать) 270kg (600lbs) of food a day and can be extremely destructive while feeding, pushing over trees or breaking off branches.
Unlike in many African countries, where poaching has recently been having a devastating effect on elephant numbers, in South Africa the population is estimated at about 20,000.
For the last five years, wildlife experts in the Tembe Elephant Park, which borders Mozambique, have been firing the contraceptives into the female elephants from the air.
The 300 sq km (115 sq mile) park in KwaZulu Natal province has 200 elephants in its herd - some of southern Africa's largest giant animals with magnificent tusks.
The biggest of them all is Isilo, who is about 50 years old, weighs seven tonnes, and stands 3.2m (10.5ft) tall.
His tusks are about 2.5m long and weigh more than 60kg.
It is a testimony(доказательство) to their successful conservation, but elephants can run out of vegetation(растительность) and at this point they starve to death or rampage through neighbouring farms. Catherine Hanekom, the district ecologist, says the new vaccine is the least disruptive way of limiting the fertility(изобилие) of these wild animals. "The really nice thing about it is that it is a remote application," says Ms Hanekom, who works for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, a government organisation that is responsible for overseeing conservation areas and more than 57 parks in KwaZulu-Natal.
"So we will fly with the helicopter, we dart the animals from the air, the dart will fall out and that's theentire impact(все воздействие) we have on the herd," she told the BBC.
The elephants are then marked with a pink dye to indicate they have been vaccinated(привитый), although this sometimes becomes obscured by dust.
Annual boosters are required to maintain contraception.
The results have been encouraging as the number of calves being born has more than halved, Ms Hanekom says.
This has meant that the distressing process of hunting down and culling elephant herds has been avoided.
whether elephants are pleasant to you? you would like to help to rescue elephants? you to yourselves would like to get such pet?
I consider that it is beautiful animals. Elephants need care. We should keep this species of animals and protect
I know a lot of information about these wonderful animals For example, they often live in group and the leader in thi group is always the eldest she-elephant It's so cool!!!!!
It is really informative article!!!I like animals very much. Elephants are one of beautiful and big creatures.It is interesting to read articles about animals. Reading this article,I was struck by the fact that elehants eat about 270kg. Wow, it is cool.
I love elephants) At home, I have a whole collection of toys - elephants I really want to help rescue elephants, to tell the truth, I would like to help all animals in our planet. The elephant is a very majestic animal. I do not think that I would be able to tame such an animal and keep at home)
For example, they often live in group and the leader in thi group is always the eldest she-elephant 
It's so cool!!!!!
