Having just visited the largest aquarium in the country let me just say we need to seriously re-examine how we treat many animal species. I encourage all of you to read the article on Whale Sharks in today's NYT. RiP Trixie.
Stewardship and conservation are very important. So is correct raising of livestock.
On your elephant topic, there are parts of the world where they are scarce and need protection. There are other parts where they are a scourge, and need to be hunted. Local villages benefit greatly, and nothing goes to waste. Kinda like Nakee ‘Mericans and buffalo.