Conservation groups announced yesterday a three-year $80 million Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action that will bring together NGOs and governments to stop the slaughter of Africa’s elephants, which are being decimated due to poaching for ivory. The new partnerships will advance a three-pronged strategy designed to catalyze a global effort to protect key elephant populations from poaching while reducing trafficking and demand for ivory.
The $80 million will be used to support national governments to scale up anti-poaching enforcement at the 50 priority elephant sites including hiring and supporting an additional 3,100 park guards. In addition, anti-trafficking efforts will be increased by strengthening intelligence networks and penalties for violations and adding training and sniffer dog teams at 10 key transit points. New demand reduction efforts will be implemented in 10 consumer markets over the next three years.
Further, leaders from African nations led a call for other countries to adopt trade moratoria on all commercial ivory imports, exports and domestic sales of ivory products until African elephant populations are no longer threatened by poaching.
The commitment addresses the problem on three fronts: stop the killing; stop the trafficking; and stop the demand.
For instance, the Commitment will scale up “on the ground” anti-poaching enforcement in 50 key African sites that contain two-thirds of all elephants.
(READ more details at IFAW.org)
Clinton Global Initiative photo
There needs to also be another support system put in place for these people that need to make a living and using the elephants for that.
Help them as well.