ELEPHANTS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION-- Updated 22 May, 2017

Update 22 May, 2017 --
Poachers have new tactic which is, unfortunately, more effective as well as more safe to be caught.

They poison the waterholes!

At the moment there are more elephants killed than born.

UPDATED: 10 June, 2015 -- Police caught two shipments totalling seven tonnes Ivory. They arrested three suspected top men of an suspected Ivory smuggling ring. It is also thought they finance terrorists.

Tycoon Abdurahman Mohammed Sheikh was arrested with his two sons at his mansions 

3.7 tonnes from Singapore was worth £40million and it was the second largest from Kenya since 2002. The other shipment was intercepted from Thailand which had 511 raw task and hidden in containers of tea. Both were destined for the Far East. Police Officer will investigate further and find more suspects. Daily Mirror revealed last year cartels are linked to  British terrorist Samantha Lewthwaite to finance attacks. The illegal Ivory trade is worth £4.5billion.

The ivory trade has raised its ugly head an again and the illegal killing increased last year – 2012.

In 1989 Kenya’s President Daniel Arap Moi set fired to 1`2 tonnes of confiscated elephant task, the value was hundreds of thousands of pounds at that time. Soon after CITES the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora made it law to ban trade in ivory. After this the demand went down drastically. It was hoped than the elephant population would increase.

For unknown reason the trade in ivory increased again a decade ago. Last year was the highest number, so far, of elephant being killed and their task removed. The biggest seizure so far was in Malaysia last month. They discovered 24 tonnes which are 1,500 tonnes, worth £12.4million and death of 750 elephants.

Between January and March in 2012 an incredible 50 per cent of elephant in Cameroon’s Bouba Ndjida National Park were slaughter by bandits.

March 22, 2012  -- 22 elephant corpses were found in Garamba National Park. They way they were positioned it was thought they grouped together to protect their young. All been shot from above and it looked that a helicopter was used.

October 2012 in Hong Kong a record of 3.81 tonnes of ivory was seized. It was the biggest haul in China. The 1,209 tusk and ivory pieces were on board of a ship coming from Tanzania.

October  31, 2012 in Tanzania was 200 tusks were discovered.

The conservationist Jan Goodall suggest that the demand in the last decade had rising because of a number of people getting very rich especially in China.  Tom Milliken director of TRAFFIC which is the wildlife trade monitoring network explains ivory has raised substantial in price over the last decade. In China it is even a status symbol to use chopstick mad from ivory. By now it is the sterling silver of the Far East.  He explains further that China still has that status obsession which is a link to the imperial past.

The other markets are the tourist markets in Thailand which are full of trinket and ornamental carving made from ivory. People still buying it and even the young ones. They know it is ivory but will they know it is from poaching elephants?

Also the West has its impacting demand.  Since travelling is so available the Western tourists are buying these goods and bringing them back as gift and souvenirs. There are enough bangles, beads and brooches to make you look beautiful it does not have to ivory.

Apparently the Chinese government became very alert to illegal ivory trade and made two ivory seizures a day scanning ship containers. Also the luggage and bags are being searched which are brought back by Chinese nationals.

All these successes don’t seem to deter the poachers and trade. Mr Milliken points out that it is the country which don’t report a seizure are heavily involved in the illegal trade such as Thailand, Nigeria and Cameroon.

Ms Goodall thinks that education could have a great impact and she explains that some people who bring ivory over the border don’t even know that it is illegal. Therefore, a good campaign would make an impact.

Chinese basketball star Yao Ming who is the equivalent of David Beckham had joint the fight. It will influence the illegal trade greatly. He made a film standing next to dead rhinos and elephants to show the people what happens in other country. It will be a powerful message being such a well know star. Also Jackie Chan is getting involved and tried to send out a powerful message.

Mr Milliken stated further that in the eighties Japan had half of the illegal trade and today it is only one per cent. This proves that a powerful campaign can turn things around.

Ms Goodall also contacted David Attenborough to ADD his name and influence to the campaign. She said that it not only the animals get killed, it is also Park Rangers.  In the Tsavo National Park in Kenya there were 12 park Rangers killed and 60 poachers over six year. Yet, they still do it. 

The problem is that when a Park Ranger is killed the family automatically loses their homes and the children can’t go to school any more which is totally unfair because the Park Ranger gave his life. She also campaigns for more contribution to pay the Park Rangers and their families especially when the ranger is killed.

ELEPHANTS BEMOAN THEIR DEAD. MOTHER HAD BEEN KILLED AND THE VERY YOUNG BABY TOUCHING HER HOPING SHE WILL WAKE UP AGAIN.  IS IT NOT A VERY SAD PICTURE?  IT SHOULD PUT THE HUMANS TO SHAME  --  BUT WILL IT?