It's a little known fact. United States soldiers buy so many furs, feathers, and ivory from endangered species, they've created a niche market for these products overseas. According to the Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation study, 40 percent of Fort Drum soldiers have seen or bought endangered animal products. Bazaars in Afghanistan, in particular, routinely hawk snow leopard pelts and ivory. That's bad enough, but now it turns out that United States military personnel may be driving this trade!
This matters even if soldiers did not participate directly in killing endangered animals, because possession of tiger pelts and ivory sends the message that it's cool and acceptable to own such things! Tell the US military to crack down on purchases of souvenirs made from animals on the endangered species list.
