The London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is actively supporting and participating in the International March for Elephants tomorrow (October 4, 2013), organised by The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) through its iworry campaign.
Official marches will be held in London and 13 others cities around the world (click
here for details); following the recent terrorist attack, the planned march in Nairobi has been replaced by a vigil.
EIA
is proud to have played a key role in securing the 1989 international
ban on ivory – a ban which did much to significantly reduce poaching and
allow elephant populations to cover, but a ban drastically
undermined by subsequent decisions taken by Parties to the Convention
on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to allow two
so-called ‘one-off’ sales of stockpiled ivory to China and Japan.
These
sales proved to be a catastrophe for elephants, confusing consumers as
to the legitimacy of ivory, stimulating new and wider demand, and
providing the perfect cover behind which to launder black market
poached ivory; EIA’s own field investigations in China indicate that
the illegal trade is totally out of control,
with up to 90 per cent of ivory available on the ‘legal’ market derived from illegal sources.
EIA Executive Director Mary Rice will be one of the featured speakers addressing the rally at the climax of the
London march
and, afterwards, will join a delegation to deliver a letter to the UK
Government at 10 Downing Street which calls for stricter penalties and
urgent global change.
“The
decision to allow CITES-sanctioned ivory auctions and a limited ‘legal’
trade has been an unmitigated disaster for elephant populations,” said
Rice. “All governments which supported China’s bid to
become a CITES Approved Buyer must accept how misguided that decision
was and introduce clear polices to firmly oppose all future proposed
stockpile auctions and to bring all pressure to bear to end the ivory
trade everywhere.”
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