African elephants are in danger of losing their lives because of a loophole in a bill that protects them.  From 1979, there were 1.3 million African elephants. A decade later, widespread poaching reduced that figure to 600,000. In 1989, a worldwide ban on ivory trade was approved by CITES (Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species). Levels of poaching fell dramatically, and black-market prices of ivory slumped.

On March 13, CITIES will host a conference about the African elephant population and the ivory trade. Not everyone is in agreement. Representatives from Tanzania and Zambia will ask that protection levels of African elephants be reduced. They are pushing to sell several tons of illegal ivory through a loophole%u2014even though there is a ban in place. If this trade goes ahead, the door to poaching will open even wider than before.

Sign the Petition

Please sign this petition to help the elephants.

For more information about this, visit http://bit.ly/9iWGEH. 

Thanks!

Michele C. Hollow

http://www.petnewsandviews.com

http://petnewsandviews.com/2010/03/endangered-elephants/Thanks to those of you who have signed the petition to save endangered African elephants. We have until March 13 to sign the petition.

The number of African elephants are dwindling. You can help by signing the petition. (Photo courtesy of Blood Ivory.)