This fall, we will team up the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington to complete a DNA map of illegal ivory poaching hotspots. By completing this map, scientists will be able to pinpoint where illegal ivory is coming from and send resources to stop it in those areas. For that expedition, we’re venturing to a too dangerous and remote for scientists to travel ‚Äî the Democratic of Congo.
But before we make that trip, we need to research where the illegal ivory is being sold‚Ķ And that’s why we’re in Thailand.
Ivory in Bangkok. © Kyle Dickman
Day one in Bangkok and I’ve already been offered ivory. The EP team is in the epicenter of it all. While China consumes more as a whole, Bangkok is the largest ivory market in Asia ‚Äî with most of that ivory coming from African elephants.
A few days in Bangkok and we can see that the ivory trade is booming. Elephants are being killed by poachers at a rate of 10 percent per year. With just 470,000 elephants left in the world, it means that in just a few years we might lose our wild elephant populations.
We’re determined to stop that from happening. But in order to be successful, we have to know what we’re up against ‚Äî that means researching the ivory trade in the city and talking to the folks who are leading the conservation effort… And of course meeting some of these amazing animals that we’re trying to save.
Andy getting friendly with some big cats at Tiger Temple. © Kyle Dickman
To find elephants, we had to get out of Bangkok’s bustling streets, so we drove into the country and ended up finding plenty of elephants and even a few tigers.
- Kyle and his Ele-friend. © Kyle Dickman
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- On our way home that evening, we met a man taking his elephants out into the forest to eat and he let us take a ride. Elephants are amazing creatures ‚Äî intelligent, gentle and powerful. It’s heartbreaking to know that more than 100 elephants are killed by poachers everyday. But it’s not hopeless. In 1989, with a global upwelling of support, the ivory trade was stopped, nearly overnight. We can do that again.
So, what can you do?
Visit www.elephantivoryproject.org to learn more. Knowledge is power. More than 100 elephants are killed every day by poachers. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Support our project to save elephants from the ivory trade. 100% of your donation will go directly to the expedition and it’s 100% tax-deductible. You have no excuse! Let’s save some elephants!
Don’t buy ivory! The U.S. has the 2nd highest demand for ivory. If you buy ivory, you’ve killed an elephant. Nuff said.
Stay tuned for more from Thailand soon!
PHOTOS © Kyle Dickman
