The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is scheduled to crush six tons of illegally confiscated ivory on November 14, 2013 at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, CO.

Statement by Don Barry, senior vice president of conservation policy

“The crushing of six tons of illegally trafficked ivory sends a pointed message that the U.S. is serious about protecting elephants from extinction.   By destroying the ivory stockpiles and encouraging other countries to do the same, we will ensure that it never enters the black market again. But we need to take additional steps to not just crush illegal ivory but crush the market as well.  The fact that we have six tons of illegally imported ivory to crush shows how big a black market the United States has been. Placing a moratorium on all ivory trade in the United States should be the next step to ensure that our country has done all it can to help end the terrible massacre of elephants.”

For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.  

 

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