Last Stand in Zakouma by National Geographic
Last Stand in Zakouma
While poachers are slaughtering some of the last surviving central African elephants for their tusks, a refuge in Chad gives this endangered species armed protection—and a fighting chance.
By J. Michael Fay
Photograph by Michael Nichols
The dead elephant, a huge bull, lay on his side, right leg curled as if in wrenching pain. Dirt covered the exposed eye—magic done by poachers to hide the carcass from vultures. The smell of musth and urine, of fresh death, hung over the mound of the corpse. It was a sight I had seen hundreds of times in central Africa. As I passed my hand over his body from trunk to tail, tears poured down my cheeks. I lifted the bull's ear. Lines of bright red blood bubbled and streamed from his lips, pooling in the dust. His skin was checkered with wrinkles. The base of his trunk was as thick as a man's torso. Deep fissures ran like rivers through the soles of his feet; in those lines, I could trace every step he had taken during his 30 years of life.
This elephant's ancestors had survived centuries of raiding by the armies of Arab and African sultans from the north in search of slaves and ivory. He had lived through civil wars and droughts, only to be killed today for a few pounds of ivory to satisfy human vanity in some distant land. There were tender blades of grass in his mouth. He and his friends had been peacefully roaming in the shaded forest, snapping branches filled with sweet gum. Then, the first gunshot exploded. He bolted, too late. Horses overtook him. Again and again, bullets pummeled his body. We counted eight small holes in his head. Bullets had penetrated the thick skin and lodged in muscle, bone, and brain before he fell. We heard 48 shots before we found him.
Souleyman Mando, the commander of our detachment of mounted park rangers, was silent. I sensed a dark need for revenge. The feeling was mutual.
Next time, you will get them," I offered.
He feigned a smile. "Inshallah," he said.
In Zakouma National Park, antipoaching is dangerous business. Officially, guards are allowed to defend themselves if poachers shoot. Unofficially, it is shoot-to-kill on both sides, so better to be the first to pull the trigger. In the past eight years, six guards have been killed by poachers, and at least six poachers by guards.
I asked Souleyman how many shots he had fired. Three, he said. The others—Adoum, Yacoub, Issa, Attim, Brahim, Saleh, and Abdoulaye—had fired 21 shots. Still, the two poachers, whom Souleyman identified as Arab nomads, had escaped on horseback with their AK-47 and M14 assault rifles. There was a second pair of horsemen, too. Adoum had fired at them before they disappeared. No doubt, there was another wounded elephant, fleeing in frantic terror.
There is little love lost between our ragtag fighting force—a mix of sedentary tribesmen from local villages, some Arab, most Muslim—and the mounted Arab nomads who are the main culprits in the killing of Zakouma's elephants.
Why Are We Where We Are Today? by Robert F. Keneddy (Bobby)
Whenever men take the law into their own hands, the loser is the law. And when the law loses, freedom languishes."
It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and injustice."
Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total; of all those acts will be written the history of this generation."
The free way of life proposes ends, but it does not prescribe means."
Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly."
What is objectionable, what is dangerous, about extremists is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents."
There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not."
Ultimately, America's answer to the intolerant man is diversity, the very diversity which our heritage of religious freedom has inspired."
One-fifth of the people are against everything all the time."
Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not."
Don't get mad, get even."
Progress is a nice word, but change is its motivator and change has enemies."
Moral courage is a more rare commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence."
Anonymous X Rater by
Anonymous Rating
July 29, 2009, MST, 12:01am
Song: When Tribes Ruled
Rate The Recording Quality: ENGINEERED TO PERFECTION!
Rate The Vocals: no rating
Rate This Song: AN INSTANT CLASSIC!
Rate The Musicianship: They Nailed It!
The problem with reviewing Bill Dyckns music lies not with the sound, but the selection. Varied and diverse, picking just one track to analyze was a challenge, but one I was up for. This is not to say that "When Tribes Ruled" is the pick of the litter, it's just one of the many that standout for composition and an tone-seducing quality. The melody hooks you in the beginning with visions of an early morning camp, complete with the sunrise peeking over the hills, horses tethered by a nearby stream and morning dew melting slowly away as the tribe begins a new day. The tinkling effect is consistent, but rises in intensity with each passing stanza. As the song progresses you feel the power of the Native American spirit, soaring through the earth like an eagle on the wing. Very emotional rhythmic pattern and progression shines through this track. Descriptive of title and era, it takes you the place when tribes really did rule. A longing comes through the melody to be in that place again, to be a part of what once was and wish it could be so again. The song moves your soul and plucks at your heartstrings, sad and hopeful at the same time, it takes you there. A song I could hear repeatedly without losing interest and one which deserves to be loaded on any i-pod. So serene and tranquil, without a doubt one at the top of this list. As for the rest of Mr. Dyckns posted tracks, they all have the same level of professionalism, each one unique in their direction and eloquently produced. To give them all the justice they deserve would require much more time than I'm allowed with my writings, suffice it say, a beautiful collection indeed. 
