96 Elephants : Poaching and the Illegal Ivory Trade

Recently, an elephant named Satao, thought to be the largest-tusked elephant living in Africa, was killed by poachers.  Known as the last "great tusker", Satao was shot with a poacher's poison arrow. His death was long and painful.

When his body was found, his magnificent tusks had been cut off, his face horribly mutilated in the process.

Look how phenomenal he was.
"Great tuskers" are bulls with tusks so large they can rest them on the ground.  They are extremely rare.

96 elephants are killed every day in Africa...that's 35,000 a year.

It would be easy to point fingers and demonize other countries' faults, political loopholes, and cruelty. The unfortunate truth is that we need to take a long, hard look the mirror for the solution because...

The USA is the SECOND LARGEST importer of illegal ivory in the world. 

It's our fault.

I am a volunteer with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) as a guide at the Central Park Zoo in NYC.  WCS is partnering with the 96 Elephants Campaign to spread awareness about the illegal ivory trade and elephant poaching.  They need 1 million signatures.

If Satao's story or these facts upset you, then please sign your name here.

Ian Somerhalder, Elephant Hero

This Monday (June 25, 2014) actor and animal activist Ian Somerhalder testified on behalf of the elephants at the Natural Resources Hearing on the domestic ivory ban. Check out his passionate testimony:



As part of the testimony, Somerhalder said, “There’s really only one word that can describe the situation of elephants in the wild today; they are in crisis. The characteristics that make elephants so iconic around the world – their beauty, majesty, and power – are precisely what make them so desirable to poachers.”

Thank you Ian, you are a hero for elephants.

New York State Historic Ban

Just this past week New York State passed a historic ban on the sale of elephant ivory and rhino horn.  According to this WCS press release, the legislation amends the state’s environmental law to ban elephant ivory sales with only a few exceptions for antiques with small amounts of ivory, certain instruments made before 1975, and transfers for educational and scientific purposes or through the distribution of estates.

Protect the Tuskers

In the 1960's, Kenya's first president ordered armed guards to protect a "great tusker" named Ahmed. Ahmed was protected by two armed guards later in his life, and died of natural causes at age 55. Now Kenyans are calling for around-the-clock protection for the few remaining tuskers.

Help their petition reach 20,000 names by signing your name.

A portrait of the famous Kenyan elephant Ahmed, in 1972.

Thank you, on behalf of elephants everywhere, for your help.

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Read more about me and my volunteer work in my About Me Page!

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