In the last five years, nearly half the elephants in Mozambique have disappeared — killed by criminal gangs intent on selling the tusks of these sensitive and intelligent pachyderms in Asian markets.
Since 2010, the country's elephant population dropped from more than 20,000 to roughly 10,300. But there is also a human cost to the poacher's massacre of elephants, according to Elephant Action League Founder Andrea Crosta:
"Like diamonds, gold, coltan or timber; ivory is taking its own place as a conflict resource in sub-Saharan Africa."
In fact,
a 2012 study found that notorious terrorist group al-Shabab drew 40 percent of its salary funds from illegal ivory smuggling. More than 147 people at a Kenyan university were killed in an April 2015 Al-Shabaab attack.
This year, Mozambique has cracked down on illegal ivory trafficking, but with the lives of so many — elephants and people — on the line, a more robust response is desperately needed.
Please this urgent petition right now and urge Mozambique's attorney general to step up efforts to find and stop the elephant-killing poachers who are fueling global terror.
Attorney General Buchili:
As someone who cares about saving elephants from extinction and shutting down poaching operations that help fund terror groups and criminal syndicates, I strongly urge you to step up law enforcement efforts to save Mozambique's elephants.
I applaud your government's recent efforts to crack down on elephant poaching, but feel that additional efforts are needed to save elephants and stop criminals. Specifically, I ask that you:
- Champion an increase in the number of national environment police officers who are deployed to find and stop illegal elephant poaching.
- Build law enforcement and witness protection capacity to expand intelligence gathering.
[Your comments]
Sincerely,
[Your name]
