The Ivory Trade
"Ivory Worship" - Bryan Christy - National Geographic Magazine
Thousands of elephants die each year so that their tusks can be carved into religious objects. Can the slaughter be stopped?
2013-01-01
'“Ivory, ivory, ivory,” says the saleswoman at the Savelli Gallery on St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. “You didn’t expect so much. I can see it in your face.” The Vatican has recently demonstrated a commitment to confronting transnational criminal problems, signing agreements on drug trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime. But it has not signed the CITES treaty and so is not subject to the ivory ban. If I buy an ivory crucifix, the saleswoman says, the shop will have it blessed by a Vatican priest and shipped to me.'
"Introduction: Battle for the Elephants" - J.J. Kelley - A Voice for Elephants
2013-02-06
". . .As a producer on the upcoming PBS Special, Battle for the Elephants, I was part of an international team that went undercover to investigate the illegal ivory trade. Our team knew early on that we had to take a holistic approach to documenting this story. The ivory trade—and it’s devastating impact on elephant populations—doesn’t just come down to “evil” poachers in Africa killing elephants without regard, nor is it merely a lust for ivory in Asia. . ."
"Battle for the Elephants Episode 1: The Plight of the Elephant" - J.J. Kelley - A Voice for Elephants
2013-02-08
"Since the opening up of the Chinese market and the growth of its economy, ivory—once a precious material reserved for the ruling elite—has become increasingly available to the growing Chinese middle class. To help tell this story our team is with one of the top experts in the world, and the author of the upcoming article that coincidentally could get them kicked out of the country, if exposed. . ."