TINA CHIARELLI, Ph.D., FRGS

The Ivory War Continues: 22 Years After the Ban

January 7th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

2011 was considered the bloodiest year for elephants since 1989, the same year the ivory ban began. Confiscated ivory from illegal sales estimate over 3000 elephants were killed by poachers to fuel the black market demand; and that is just what was found. In a single month, Malaysian authorities seized over $1.3 million US worth of ivory that was being shipped out of Kenya and into Cambodia. It is well documented that the illegal trade in wildlife and their parts is a multi-billion dollar a year business; third only behind drugs and weapons trafficking. Trade in rhino horn and tiger …

A New Year For Conservation

December 30th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

Like years past, 2011 has been full of both triumph and loss. Precious habitat was saved. Conservationists continued to educate and inspire others to help preserve our natural world. In addition, new plant and animal species were discovered; however, a few were also considered to now be extinct. With all of our great accomplishments over the last 365 days, I believe we can do better. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are all interconnected to each and every living thing on this planet. All of our actions, good or bad, have an effect on others. I meet …

Peace and Place For All

December 23rd, 2011tinalc0 Comments

When I first began working in the field of wildlife conservation I was very naïve. It was so easy to come up with solutions to habitat loss and species survival when humans were not factored into the equation. It was so very simple to point an accusatory finger. Part of the learning curve in this line of work is to understand that for every person who carries out atrocities against wildlife and their habitat, there are at least five that want to save them. In addition, identifying the driving force behind such horrific events is just as much of the …

A Love For Elephants

December 13th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

West Virginia University has gone to the elephants! Not only were Tina and her pachyderm friends highlighted on the homepage of the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, but they were also featured on the West Virginia University main homepage. In addition, you can find an interview with Tina regarding her research at the following link Inside WVU

One True Love — Elephants

December 13th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

Recently, Tina’s research was featured in the inaugural issue of the official magazine of the West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design.

Extinction: The Final Countdown

December 7th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

The word extinction has shown up several times in the news lately regarding the population status of some wildlife species. All too often we can identify species that have been deemed extinct, but we are not given an explanation of how this came to be. Historically, or I should say prehistorically, we know that a meteor striking the earth and an ice age contributed to the extinction of thousands of species. Note that these catastrophic events were natural disasters. However, what about the extinctions as of late? Internationally, we still experience natural disasters all the time, but what is their …

Habitat Preservation and the Discovery of New Species

November 29th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

It is hard to believe that in a world where the human population now exceeds 7 billion, that there are still unexplored wild areas, and new plant and animal species being discovered. I think it is easy to understand the importance of preserving oceans, jungles, rainforests, grasslands, and deserts (yes, even deserts) for the known species that inhabit them, but what about the places that are home to creatures yet to be discovered? What about the plants, bacteria, or fungi in those wild areas that could lead to new breakthroughs in medicine? And, although hard to imagine, should we not …

Thank You

November 23rd, 2011tinalc0 Comments

This week, in the United States, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. This holiday is a time for recognizing the things and special people we are thankful for. Aside from stuffing ourselves with roasted turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, the day is spent with friends and family. In addition, I thought it would be the most fitting time to give thanks to all those special people who have inspired me over the years and helped cultivate my passion for wildlife conservation and habitat preservation. If not for these wonderful people, I would not be who I am today. As a …

A Trunk of Love: WVU Doctoral Student Finds Her Calling Researching Elephants

November 14th, 2011atheod0 Comments

The story of Tina Dow’s love for elephants began in another story, tucked away in the pages of her first Little Golden Book. Never could she predict that someday she’d work with the same creatures that fascinated her as a little girl. It was the mighty elephant that steered her back onto an academic path. Dow, who grew up in Cumberland, Md., earned her bachelor’s degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences at West Virginia University in 2002. After graduating, she didn’t know quite what to do. She enrolled in some courses at the University of Connecticut and took an internship at Roger Williams Park …

Crikey! It’s Steve Irwin Day!

November 10th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

This Tuesday, 15 November, is the annually celebration of the life of Steve Irwin. Like him or not, you cannot deny that this man brought the plight of wildlife conservation into more than 150 million living rooms around the world. Carrying on that tradition, the aptly named Steve Irwin Day continues Steve’s mission to fight for wildlife conservation and habitat preservation. In addition, the day reminds us that one person can make a huge difference. I remember the first time I saw Steve Irwin on television. Being raised on the stylings of Sir David Attenborough, Steve was unlike anything I …