Edward Norton Joins the Fight Against Ivory Demand by WildAid
International film star and renowned conservationist Edward Norton filmed two public service announcements on the illegal ivory trade in New York City yesterday. The messages will be part of the “Say No To Ivory” campaign launched earlier this year by WildAid and Save the Elephants.
Norton, President of the US Board for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, said: “Reducing the demand for ivory products is essential to the survival of Kenya’s elephants and directly impacts our on the ground community conservation efforts. By strengthening community stability in Kenya and shifting consumer behavior abroad, we can save elephants and improve the lives of Maasai.”
Due to the ivory trade as many as 25,000 elephants are killed every year. Poachers recently turned to cyanide to silently kill more than 40 elephants for their ivory. As the poaching crisis escalates, national leaders including US President Barack Obama and Kenya’s First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta, have called for action.
“We need to reduce demand for ivory not just to save the elephants, but also to protect African economies and to defund organized crime,” added WildAid Executive Director Peter Knights. — in New York, NY. (near New York, NY)
International film star and renowned conservationist Edward Norton filmed two public service announcements on the illegal ivory trade in New York City yesterday. The messages will be part of the “Say No To Ivory” campaign launched earlier this year by WildAid and Save the Elephants.
Norton, President of the US Board for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, said: “Reducing the demand for ivory products is essential to the survival of Kenya’s elephants and directly impacts our on the ground community conservation efforts. By strengthening community stability in Kenya and shifting consumer behavior abroad, we can save elephants and improve the lives of Maasai.”
Due to the ivory trade as many as 25,000 elephants are killed every year. Poachers recently turned to cyanide to silently kill more than 40 elephants for their ivory. As the poaching crisis escalates, national leaders including US President Barack Obama and Kenya’s First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta, have called for action.
“We need to reduce demand for ivory not just to save the elephants, but also to protect African economies and to defund organized crime,” added WildAid Executive Director Peter Knights. — in New York, NY. (near New York, NY)
285 Likes21 comments
Bharat Singh and 284 others like this.
Maria Hoffman
Thanks you Edward Norton for employing your celebrity in the cause of saving elephants from extinction!
8 yrsReport
Ban Ivory Save Elephants
We need everyone to speak out. Thank you. Also, trophy hunters need to stop hunting elephants and rhinos and perhaps search out the poachers and help stop the slaughter of innocent wildlife.
8 yrsReport
Susanna Kelland
The corruption at the borders will stop when the people in power realize they have less to gain and more to lose in losing their wildlife forever. Prison, fines for corrupt officials, not just poachers (who are usually paid hired hands desperately in need of cash) and sharing of the tourist dollars with the locals will have a huge impact also. I'm sure it's shameful how tourist operations have just taken over their land and are keeping the profits all to themselves. A very complicated situation.
8 yrsReport
Caroline Hunt
I applaud your efforts WildAid and hopefully more people like Edward will come on board to support and educate. There can be no half-measures or loopholes like before or after the ivory ban. This selfish desire for ivory or rhino horn must simply stop - period!
8 yrsReport
Mare Ey
Talking is important to educate the public and people who may know nothing about the issue. It's how we all learn about things we don't know. Talk, listen, learn, understand. Repeat.
8 yrsReport
Bob Loveless
It is an absolute travesty what is happening in Africa with the elephants and rhinos!!!
8 yrsReport
Maria Claudia Senatore Soares
Well done! Thank you! Never give up talking until it's over. It goes for the bullfights as well. Obrigada!
8 yrsReport
Samantha Durran
We can all talk about it but forgive me if I get sad that nothing seems to much change...talk talk talk though! It is all most of us can do and hopefully might save them.
8 yrsReport
WildAid
We understand your frustration Samantha. Elephants are being killed at an alarming rate so we are approaching the crisis with a model that significantly cut shark fin consumption in our last campaign - educating consumers and seeking to reduce demand for endangered wildlife products. Demand reduction has never been given the support that other methods received so we hope you will join us as we stop the buying; because when the buying stops, the killing can too.
8 yrsReport
Ashley Emal
I really love my gorgeous Edward soooo freaking much. He is so my love and baby.
8 yrsReport
Jennifer Serna
When do we see it and where? This is one of the reasons I love Edward Norton.
8 yrsReport
Ivonne Teoh
Just read your `Ivory Demand in China' report, interesting that Beijing is less informed about poaching problem than other cities which is alarming. Many ivory buyers say they buy ivory as gifts for others, some `friends' sell ivory privately to other friends [meaning illegally, not through registered retail shop which means no ID card]. Yao Ming & others have campaigned many years yet little change. The no. of registered carving factories is higher than I previously read which means many more are not `registered'. Is the problem with Beijing since they have not even considered to close down their carving factories. If factories keep open, definitely more illegal ivory will be demanded. IFAW had 3yr PSA as well and yet little change. It's mainly the wealthy affluent Chinese who buy ivory, is your message changing their buying? That is the real question. Note that you are the only NGO which deals with demand issue which is much needed! Since your PSA reach 1billion people a week, would expect to see huge outrage for eles, yet poaching continues? If anyone killed a panda, they would be killed!
8 yrsReport
Shelley McDonald
What about the forest Elephants in the Congo? They are under so much more threat... their ivory is very much in demand as per the color and strength. The Forest ELephant has been decimated. We cannot forget them.
8 yrsReport
