Baraza

sheryl, washington dc, on 16 Jul 2008

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE? They were probably a distraction for the boatload of ivory that was being smuggled out of another port.

s.

TheTeach, Seattle, on 16 Jul 2008

Here’s the trickle…soon to become a flood. Let’s hope the media gets right on these stories and paints the China Ivory issue for what it is: an invitation to slaughter. The present and growing Chinese presence in Africa is going to make saving wild African elephants one of the greatest environmental challenges of the next decade. I hope I’m wrong, but I tend to be biased by the reality before me, and we’ve seen what happened to half of Africa’s elephants between 1970-1990. We must dig in our heels now, and stop elephants from falling into the desperate, present condition of the rhino. I’m already refiguring my budget to send more funds in the direction of elephant conservation. I’ll be pushing this as one of my classe’s service project issues at school come fall trimester. Dig in folks. We are going to fight the fight! -TheTeach

Jan - Boston, on 17 Jul 2008

For elephant lovers - please be aware that in addition to the horror created by the poaching itself is a travesty of justice by the African countries which will only encourage more poaching.

Another two Chinese people were caught with 240 pounds of ivory in their suitcases back in May at JKIA. According to the Associated Press, the maximum penalty for smuggling ivory was one year in jail and/or 10,000 KES ($163.00)!!!

I have already contacted KWS begging them to update their laws regarding smuggling ivory. In order to save the elephants the punishment should be a MINIMUM of ten years in jail. Only by making the laws much stiffer will there be a deterrant to ivory smuggling and poaching. Let’s see if they have the guts to make the necessary needed changes and follow through with the punishments without accepting a bribe to let these crooks go scott-free.

Jan - Boston, on 17 Jul 2008

I’ll bet you are absolutely correct on that score.

Unless, and until, the African governments and their wildlife services start taking the plight of the African elephants seriously, shoot to kill poachers and long jail terms for smugglers, the demise of the elephant populations will come much quicker than expected. If they want the world to help them save their elephants, they too have to be serious about it.

They also need to start inspecting truck shipments at Mombasa port. I’ll bet tons of ivory has been smuggled out that way in containers which are probably only spot checked.

I’ll be in Kenya on safari in two weeks, and I only hope and pray I’ll see tons of my elephant friends.