I figure quite a few might wish to sign this.
Peter
From: Paul Hilder - Avaaz [mailto:avaaz@avaaz.org]
Sent: 09 March 2010 22:37
To: Peter Hancock
Subject: Time to choose: Elephants or Ivory
Dear friends,
In 5 days, the worldwide UN ban on ivory trading could be lifted -- a decision that could
wipe out Africa's vulnerable elephants. But a number of a African nations are pushing
to uphold the ban. Let's send them a stampede of support to save the elephants. Sign
the petition below, and forward this email widely:
[
http://avaazimages.s3.amazonaws.com/sign_english_blue.png]
Sign the
petition!<https://secure.avaaz.org/en/no_more_bloody_ivory/?cl=500191182…
In 5 days, 2 African governments will try to pry open the worldwide ban on ivory trading
-- a decision that could wipe out whole elephant populations and bring these magnificent
animals closer to extinction.
Tanzania and Zambia are lobbying the UN for special exemptions from the ban, but this
would send a clear signal to the ivory crime syndicates that international protection is
weakening and it's open-season on elephants. Another group of African states have
countered by calling to extend the trade ban for 20 years.
Our best chance to save the continent's remaining elephants is to support African
conservationists. We only have 5 days left and the UN Endangered Species body only meets
every 3 years. Click below to sign our urgent petition to protect elephants, and forward
this email widely -- the petition will be delivered to the UN meeting in Doha:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/no_more_bloody_ivory/?vl<https://secure.avaa…
Over 20 years ago, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
passed a worldwide ban on ivory trading. Poaching fell, and ivory prices slumped. But poor
enforcement coupled with'experimental one-off sales', like the one Tanzania and
Zambia are seeking, drove poaching up and turned illegal trade into a lucrative business
-- poachers can launder their illegal ivory with the legal stockpiles.
Now, despite the worldwide ban, each year over 30,000 elephants are gunned down and their
tusks hacked off by poachers with axes and chainsaws. If Tanzania and Zambia are
successful in exploiting the loophole, this awful trade could get much worse.
We have a one off chance this week to extend the worldwide ban and repress poaching and
trade prices before we lose even more elephant populations -- sign the petition now and
then forward it widely:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/no_more_bloody_ivory/?vl<https://secure.avaa…
Across the world's cultures and throughout our history elephants have been revered in
religions and have captured our imagination -- Babar, Dumbo, Ganesh, Airavata, Erawan. But
today these beautiful and highly intelligent creatures are being annihilated. As long as
there is demand for ivory, poaching and smuggling will happen, but this week we have a
chance to protect them and crush the ivory criminals' profits -- sign the petition
now:
As long as there is demand for ivory, elephants are at risk from poaching and smuggling --
but this week we have a chance to protect them and crush the ivory criminals' profits
-- sign the petition now:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/no_more_bloody_ivory/?vl<https://secure.avaa…
With hope,
Paul, Alice, Iain, Ricken, Graziela, Raluca, Luis, Paula Benjamin, David, Ben and the rest
of the Avaaz team
More information:
Partners at Bloody Ivory and Born Free:
http://www.bloodyivory.org/
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species:
http://www.cites.org<http://www.cites.org/>
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