IFAW destroys giant tusk of unwanted ivory in its campaign to protect elephants

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I just wanted to take a minute to let you know about an IFAW event held today in

the UK to raise awareness about the trade in elephant ivory. We created a giant

tusk from 700 pieces of ivory donated by the public over the last year and today

we destroyed it to reject the ivory trade. The ivory pieces will later be ground

into powder and placed in an hourglass to symbolize that time is running out for

elephants.

 

Thanks and let me know if you have any questions,

 

Kerry

Kerry Branon

Communications Coordinator

IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)

765 Attucks Lane

Hyannis, MA 02601

508-744-2068

kbranon

www.ifaw.org

 

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IFAW destroys giant tusk of unwanted ivory in its campaign to protect elephants

 

 

 

 

 

(London, England - 12 April 2005) - The International Fund for Animal Welfare

today sent sparks flying in central London as it publicly destroyed a giant tusk

- made from pieces of unwanted ivory - in a symbolic rejection of the ivory

trade.

 

 

 

Saba Douglas-Hamilton watched as IFAW cut the Memorial Tusk into pieces with an

angle grinder in Trafalgar Square. The resulting showers of sparks and plumes of

ivory dust proved a graphic reminder of the deadly and destructive nature of the

ivory trade, as IFAW urged the public and would-be consumers: " Don't buy ivory -

it belongs to elephants. "

 

 

 

TV wildlife presenter Saba said: " In 1989 I witnessed Kenya burning 12 tons of

ivory, a stark and terrible memorial to thousands of elephants and many Kenyan

rangers shot down by poachers' bullets. It was a brave stand for Kenya to make,

to show that ivory has no price.

 

 

 

" Today IFAW's message to the world is clear - ivory kills! So don't buy it,

don't sell it, don't wear it. I support this whole-heartedly. "

 

 

 

Jenny Hawley, IFAW's wildlife trade campaigner, says: " Elephants are intelligent

and sociable animals, capable of enormous suffering. Many populations are also

at risk of extinction. People must remember that every ivory item they buy

increases the demand, which is met by poachers.

 

 

 

" IFAW believes ivory belongs to elephants. The only way to stop elephants being

killed for their tusks is to make ivory worthless. "

 

 

 

Decades of unrelenting slaughter of African elephants for their ivory saw

numbers plummet from 1.3 million in 1979 to 609,000 in 1989. Today elephants

are still endangered - especially in Asia and the forests of Central & West

Africa. In the past six years, 95 tons of ivory has been seized worldwide, which

represents more than 15,000 dead elephants. A lot more ivory smuggling goes

undetected.

 

 

 

Jenny Hawley added: " By destroying its own 'stockpile,' IFAW is calling for all

countries with ivory stockpiles to put them beyond use forever. If we want to

safeguard the future of elephants, then all international discussions must focus

on proper long-term conservation measures rather than trade. "

 

 

 

South Africa, Namibia and Botswana may soon be allowed to sell their ivory

stockpile to Japan for commercial trade in that country, once certain conditions

have been met. IFAW opposes these sales because it is impossible to tell the

difference between legal and illegal ivory once on the market, and so the sales

could spell disaster for already vulnerable populations.

 

 

 

The Memorial Tusk was built using the 700 pieces of ivory that were donated to

IFAW by members of the public during an ivory 'amnesty' last year. The ivory

pieces cut from the Tusk will later be ground down into powder and placed in an

hourglass to symbolize that time is running out for elephants.

 

 

An IFAW petition of over 100,000 signatures calling for an end to all legalized

ivory trade was handed over to the Minister of Environment, Elliot Morley, at

his Defra office following the event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to editors

 

 

 

 

1. The ivory hourglass will be on temporary display in the Customs & Excise

Museum in Liverpool from May 2005 onwards.

 

 

 

2. There have been increased incidents of poaching and ivory seizures since

CITES 2002 decision to allow the sales in principle. These have included the

shooting dead of two rangers in Kenya's Tsavo East National Park in April 2004

and a huge seizure of 6.5 tons of ivory in Singapore in 2003. In November last

year, UK Police made a large seizure of ivory products - totaling approximately

£85,000 - in London and Gloucestershire.

 

 

 

3. Given that any income from the sales (probably about US$5 million) would

probably be much less than the resulting cost of increased anti-poaching

enforcement needed in all elephant range states, IFAW would prefer to see the

stockpiles being either destroyed or put beyond use and the costs of elephant

conservation met by governments and other agencies. IFAW is working with local

partners in elephant range states and ivory consuming countries to stop poaching

and eliminate the consumer demand for ivory.

 

 

 

About IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare)

 

Founded in 1969, IFAW is an international animal welfare and conservation

organization that works to protect wild and domestic animals and to broker

solutions that benefit both animals and people. With offices in 15 countries

around the world, IFAW works to protect whales, elephants, great apes, big cats,

dogs and cats, seals, and other animals. To learn how to help IFAW protect

animals, please visit www.ifaw.org.

 

 

 

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The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW -- <a

href= " http://www.ifaw.org " >www.ifaw.org</a>) works to improve the welfare of

wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial

exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in

distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to

promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of

both animals and people.

 

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