China's booming economy and demand for ivory is causing an upsurge of illegal elephant poaching in Kenya. On January 16, 2013, the Washington Post reported that 638 pieces of elephant ivory were seized at Kenya's main port. At the current poaching rates, conservationists wonder if there is any hope for saving elephants as a species.
The rise in poaching is not only an environmental issue, but an economic one as well. Diminishing numbers of elephants in Kenya means a loss of revenue from tourists who travel to the country to see the elephants.
This week, Kenya attempted to expand anti-ivory measures to other countries at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Tell them to concentrate on creating new legislation to stop elephant poaching in their country, too.
As you know, China's booming economy and demand for ivory is causing an upsurge of illegal elephant poaching in Kenya. On January 16, 2013, the Washington Post reported that 638 pieces of elephant ivory were seized at Kenya's main port. At the current poaching rates, conservationists wonder if there is any hope for saving elephants as a species.
The rise in poaching is not only an environmental issue, but an economic one as well. Diminishing numbers of elephants in Kenya means a loss of revenue from tourists who travel to the country to see the elephants.
If the government takes action to end poaching, there is hope that elephant numbers can recover. Elephants studied by the nonprofit group Save the Elephants show that the species experienced a baby boom following the intense poaching of the '70s and '80s. We respectfully urge you to draft a new legislation and take steps to address poaching in their country.
