Washington, D.C. — Born Free USA, a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, applauds Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) for introducing a bill today that will enhance America’s ability to deter nations from allowing ivory trade to flourish. The Targeted Use of Sanctions for Killing Elephants in their Range (TUSKER) Act will require certain nations to work with the U.S. on anti-poaching efforts, or face sanctions if they fail to cooperate. Illegal trafficking in ivory is directly responsible for shocking declines in elephant populations in recent years, and this bill is a crucial step toward reducing the threat to elephants on the ground. [teaserbreak]
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. An estimated 35,000 to 50,000 elephants are now poached each year for their ivory; in fact, elephants are now being killed faster than they are being born. Born Free USA recently released two groundbreaking reports about the ivory trade—Ivory’s Curse and Out of Africa—which demonstrate, in great detail, how organized crime networks across Africa traffic ivory from slaughtered elephants to fund their operations. We learned of the close links between the poaching crisis and violent militias, organized crime, and overseas trade routes.”
Representative DeFazio stated, “As many as 40,000 elephants were slaughtered in 2013 alone for their tusks and over 1,000 park rangers have been killed trying to protect endangered wildlife. The illegal wildlife trade funds the operations of gun, drug, and human trafficking crime syndicates. It also funds extremely dangerous terrorist groups that threaten regional stability in Africa and national security in the United States. We need to choke off the access to the market. My legislation sends a strong message; if countries permit this illegal trafficking, there will be economic consequences.”
As the second largest ivory market in the world, the U.S. bears a significant responsibility to act now. The U.S. government has a fundamental role to play in addressing this crisis, and we thank Representative DeFazio for being a leader in the fight to end elephant poaching.
Born Free USA is a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to America the message of “compassionate conservation” — the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son Will Travers. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa, and www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203/270-8929, therodicompany@gmail.com