This is the face of the ivory trade . . .
by Gerean Pflug
PHOTO CREDIT:
African Wildlife Trust
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Poachers move in quickly using chain saws, machetes, axes and hunting knives, to cut the tusks from elephants, often while they are still alive. They leave the faceless, innocent, sentient being in agonizing pain to die. The poachers will often wipe out an entire elephant family at one time. Many of the elephants are pregnant or are nursing babies. The babies are left traumatized and alone to starve, to die of exposure or to be fed upon by the lions.
Rangers by hundreds patrol the vast acres of land in Africa where the elephants are constantly on the move. The rangers rarely have even the most basic of needed supplies and are generally unarmed, no match for poachers using high-powered automatic rifles and cutting-edge weaponry. Many of the rangers die in the process of protecting the elephants that they have grown to love.
Why is this happening? Greed ~ They do this for profit from the ivory trade. The bulk of the ivory ends up in China, who has made a mockery of international bans on ivory. The Chinese feed the market by purchasing trinkets made of ivory, which has become a national symbol of status. But China is not the only villain in this heinous crime against our wildlife. Trophy hunters from around the world, pay exorbitant amounts of money for permission to kill elephants. And . . . countries around the world, use ivory for numerous reasons, including the creation of religious icons. However, worldwide spiritual and religious leaders are beginning to become active in banning the trade of ivory.
Recently the Vatican spoke out against ivory trade. In January of 2013, after groups and individual activists in mass, wrote letters, placed phone calls and signed petitions, THE VATICAN condemned the poaching of elephants. Father Frederico Lombardi, the director of the Holy See Press Office in the Vatican, referencing Catholic tradition, made the following statement:
Up until now, the world has looked to international governments to protect this highly endangered species, but to date, the governments have failed. It is now up to the international community to assure that the African elephant is saved from extinction. Environmentalists, Religious and Spiritual Groups, Non-Profit Organizations, Private Groups, Celebrities and Millions of Individuals worldwide have delared an all-out war on poachers who are obliterating our African Elephants for profit from the ivory trade. The massacre of near 40,000 elephants per year (60-100 per day) has become the greatest environmental crime on our planet. It is now estimated that if the trade of ivory is not banned worldwide, the African Elephant will be extinct by the year 2020.
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IN ONLY A FEW SECONDS,
THE WWF COMMERCIAL AGAINST IVORY TRADE MAKES IT’S POINT
WATCH THIS 30-SECOND VIDEO BELOW:
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It is up to every individual to assume a sense of responsibility
and to take action to save this majestic, gentle species we call “Our Elephants.”
When individuals take action ~ we become a group of millions.
Help raise public awareness and influence empathy and compassion for this urgent need.
Write letters, place phone calls, sign petitions,
use every social media networking platform available,
Facebook, Twitter, Blog Sites . . . they are all free international tools to let your voice be heard.
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Blessings on those who from a place of empathy and compassion
lend voice to innocent, sentient, living beings
who cannot speak for themselves.
THE FIGHT IS ON.
~Gerean Pflug for The Animal Spirits
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PLEASE TAKE ACTION:
TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION BY SIGNING THE WORLDWIDE C.I.T.E.S. PETITION:
Click ~~~> http://www.iworry.org/
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SIGN THE WWF PETITION FOR ELEPHANT PROTECTION IN AFRICA AND THAILAND:
Click ~~~> http://action.panda.org/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1773&ea.campaign.id=17713
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IVORY ACTION. Email. Petition. Share.
http://www.elephantectivism.org/p/ivory-action-1-2-3.html
To find out how you can help the elephants and rangers:
The Thin Green Line Foundation
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Big Life Foundation
African Wildlife Trust
The Jumbo Foundation Elephant Orphanage
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References/Resources:
http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2013/s3683920.htm
Bloody Ivory: http://www.bloodyivory.org/quotes
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This article was written by Gerean Pflug, 2/5/13, All Rights Reserved ~ Permission is granted to reblog, copy and repost this article in full, as long as links back to this page are present on the copy. Copies of part of this article must be requested in writing via email to: Animalspirits222@aol.com
THE ANIMAL SPIRITS 