A Conversation with Dr. Tabitha Finch: Part 1

By Suzanne Firth, GSGC Volunteer

Biologist and Global Sojourns Giving Circle believer Dr. Tabitha Finch recently authored GSGC’s first White Paper entitled “Empowering Girls, Supporting Conservation.” Here, Finch shares her knowledge of and love for Africa’s elephants.

Dr. Tabitha Finch knows elephants very, very well. For her PhD in biology, she spent nearly six months in Kenya collecting samples and then another five and a half years completing her thesis on the ecology and evolution of the African elephant.

Why focus on the elephant’s development and relationship with its environment? “They are a majestic creature, and elephants have a lot of traits similar to humans. They live long lives. They are incredibly intelligent, as shown, for example, by the fact that they use objects as tools,” Finch said. “They also have very strong family ties. A female elephant, the matriarch, leads and takes care of her family unit. When they reconnect with other family units after a period of time, they greet each other loudly and with great excitement.”

In her “non-invasive” research, Finch used samples of elephant dung (poop) to study such things as an animal’s DNA, parasites and hormone levels caused by stress. She was even able to estimate an elephant’s age based on the circumference of its dung. Elephants continue to grow throughout their lives, which means that the size of their droppings does, too.

Globally, one finds both Asian and African elephants. The African elephant is comprised of two species, Forest and Savanna. The former is found in the western and central regions, and the latter in the eastern and southern areas. Savanna elephants are the larger of the two and their tusks are more curved. Both species eat all types of vegetation.

During our conversation, Finch spoke with great passion about the African elephant. She also underlined her compassion for its current plight. “Elephants are just being slaughtered. It’s a global phenomenon driven by organized crime rather than local people,” she said.

Finch alluded to the poaching that fuels the world’s illegal trade in ivory in her first GSGC White Paper “Empowering Girls, Supporting Conservation.” In it, she praises the work of GSGC’s newest partner, Tikobane Trust clubs in Dete, Zimbabwe. She applauds in particular their commitment to educating young girls and boys about the importance of getting involved in local conservation initiatives, such as reducing wildlife poaching.

Fast Facts: Savanna Elephants

*World’s largest land mammal *Lifespan: 60-70 years *Height 13’ length 24’ (Male) *Mass: 6.6 tons (Male) 3.3 tons (Female) *Food: 350 lbs vegetation daily *Conservation status: “vulnerable” *National Geographic’s 2016 “Great Elephant Census” confirms an annual 8% decline (25,000 – 27,000) in Africa Source: The Nature Conservancy www.nature.org