Hm, I'm not sure I feel qualified to reply to this topic, Kate. For starters I know next to nothing about animal abuse, just the moral compunction not to see something hurt for no reason...anyway! That will have to suffice.
I see the Haradmen as hunter gatherers. Perhaps they slew the great Mumaks for their ivory as contempories might do in our world?
Such an idea is not too far fetched, but can we really presume to know the reasons behind the endangerment of the Oliphaunts through a few quotes..?
It is my thought that they did not exist in the greater West of Middle Earth because the climate was unsuited to them. It grew cold in the north lands and snow is definitely not elephant weather ;-)
Another thing...The bit about them standing up. I would assume that Oliphaunts etc can sleep standing up, rather like to a horse. Or is that just an old wive's tale? It could have been relating to this, but I have no facts..sigh!
Anyways, that's just a bit of something to mull over.
~Wil, (otherwise known as Glorfindel) (Newbie).
|