It’s Official, Tanzania and Zambia’ Request to Sell Ivory Have Been Turned Down

Today, the UN’s wildlife trade organizations have turned down Tanzania’s and Zambia’s requests to sell ivory. This is a great victory for conservationist and wildlife fans alike and a monumental step towards ending poaching. For the past month  we have been updating viewers about all that has been going on leading up to CITES CoP15, which has been going on for the past week. Through the awareness created, the numerous petitions that we’ve rallied and  our supporters who signed and spread the petition, a movement was created.

It is without a doubt that the public outcry that was created and the nearly 500,000 petition signatures shifted the decision made by the standing committee. However,  it doesn’t just end there,  stopping the legal sale of ivory stockpiles is one thing, but the illegal ivory trade still continues to flourish. We must continue to raise awareness about this issue and educate others. Laws and documents aren’t going to end poaching and stop the demand for ivory, educating the end user is what’s needed.

Below is a video created by the Environmental Investigation Agency into the illegal ivory trade in Tanzania and Zambia, the 2 countries who’s proposal to legalize ivory sale was just rejected.

To read the BBC article on the official news…click here

Ivory Conflict Escalates as Africa and EU go head to head: Your Tuna for Our Elephants

Support protection of our elephants and we’ll help you protect your bluefin tuna, 23 African countries told the European Union on Friday. By contrast, if the EU does not back their case, they threatened to oppose Europe’s proposal to ban trade in the giant fish. The group of African countries, which includes Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria, are concerned that most EU countries support Tanzania and Zambia’s attempts to restart the ivory trade.

EU ambassadors met on Friday to finalise the bloc’s position at the next CITES meeting which starts on March 13. The diplomats are expected to confirm support for an endangered listing for the Atlantic bluefin, which would effectively ban trade in the endangered fish which can fetch up to $100,000 each at market. “Please do not force our collective hand to cast our 23 votes against the EU on any of the issues it is supporting such as, for example, the high profile proposed ban on bluefin tuna.”

Bluefin Tuna Populations are in decline

Similarly, so are Elephant populations in Africa

To Read the Full Article…Click Here