Africa
Why do they need you?
Elephant tusks are some of the most valuable commodities on Earth for poachers engaged in the illegal ivory trade. Tens of thousands of elephants are killed for their tusks each year to be valued on a global scale. The U.S. remains one of the world’s largest importers of ivory.
The illegal ivory trade is more than just devastating for elephant populations. Funds from the trade enable the trafficking of illegal drugs and firearms. The trade is also highly sophisticated, with poachers using their own technology to avoid detection.
How is Zoo Atlanta helping?
Zoo Atlanta is a proud partner of The Wildlife Conservation Society’s (WCS) 96 Elephants campaign.
Named for the number of elephants killed for their ivory each day, the campaign was launched by WCS in 2013 and has since attracted the support of hundreds of partners. Zoo Atlanta joined as a partner in 2014, helping to expand the reach of the campaign to Atlanta and Georgia.
Want to learn more?
Visit 96elephants.org to learn more about what you can do and ways you can help spread the word.
The illegal wildlife trade is just one of the challenges facing African elephants; human-wildlife conflict is another pressing threat. Learn more about Zoo Atlanta’s partnership with Conservation South Luangwa here.