In an Elephant Killing Zone, a Quiet Moment Carl Safina, a longtime marine scientist, conservationist and author, is far from the sea, continuing his exploration of an array of non-finny living things for his next book. He sent an earlier dispatch from central Kenya, where he is examining issues on the front lines of the war on elephants (and rhinoceroses) fueled by Asian appetites for ivory and other products derived from wildlife. There'll be more in The Times and on his blog soon. Thanks, Carl, for all your hard work, and this astonishing image. As always, I encourage Dot Earth readers to contribute images or video clips of meaningful moments related to the themes of this blog. Click for images by Seth Walker (plug-in Beetle), Elizabeth Tjader (close encounter with a porcupine) and Eric Richter (a black bear in a backyard chair).