Encouraged by the efforts of the southern African countries to have their elephant populations downlisted to Appendix 2 of CITES, poaching in Africa has continued, even increased. Southern Africa continues to be an attractive destination for illegal ivory from elsewhere in Africa and, with massive corruption and official incompetence on its side, this illegal ivory easily finds its way to destinations in the Far East.
Elephants are highly intelligent and social beings; they mourn for their dead, care for and nurture their young, and communicate with each other over vast distances using sub sonic rumbles. Please help us to ensure that they are not treated as mere commodities, to be turned into tins of meat and trinkets made from their skin, hair and tusks.
