Protecting elephants is not only a conservation imperative, but a security necessity. Every 15 minutes, an elephant is killed in Africa to feed the $7 to $10 billion global demand for ivory. Organized crime syndicates, terrorist organizations, and even government militaries are taking advantage of these record high prices, and the illicit ivory industry is becoming increasingly militarized. According to Adam M. Roberts, CEO of Born Free USA, “The elephant poaching crisis has reached historic levels and, shockingly, some elephant populations face extinction in our lifetime.”
Link: Roll Call