A Win for Conservation – Canada Bans Ivory
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead.
Big Tusker Tim
Do you ever wonder if those online petitions make a difference? Yes, they do!
From the Press release from Humane Society Internationl/Canada:
After 8 long years of advocating for a domestic ban on elephant ivory and rhino horn in Canada, regulations have been enacted by the Canadian Government to ban the elephant ivory and rhino horn trade, along with the import of hunting trophies containing these parts.
Fran Duthie, president of Elephanatics, stated: “The team at Elephanatics is thrilled that regulations to ban the elephant ivory and rhino horn trade, along with the import of hunting trophies containing these parts, are to be enacted by the Canadian Government. We would like to thank all the scientists, NGOs, politicians, and people who worked tirelessly to make this happen. From the petition created by the Ivory Free Canada coalition that reached over 700,000 signatures and showed overwhelming support to save elephants and rhinos, to endless advocacy, to the collaboration of like minds working together to save a species, our mission to ban the elephant ivory and rhino horn trade has come to fruition. It is a time to be grateful and to celebrate this grand achievement. We did it!”
Dr. Winnie Kiiru, Kenyan biologist and leading elephant conservationist, said: “I am thrilled that Canada has enacted these urgently needed regulations in order to safeguard elephant and rhino populations. As a conservationist working on the ground in Kenya, I have seen firsthand the devastating effects of poaching and trophy hunting on African elephant and rhino populations. We need countries around the world to act now in order to protect these amazing animals, and Canada’s actions send an important message: ivory belongs to elephants.”
Dr. Winnie Kiiru and me at the Mkapa Photography Competition Awards in Nairobi Oct. 2021.
There are many ways to support the protection of wildlife. Ami Vital’s Vital Impact Print Sale is a powerful example of good will in action. I am thrilled and honoured to be part of this initiative to raise funds to support the release of 13 of Reteti Elephant Sanctuary’s (@r.e.s.c.u.e) orphaned elephants back into the wild.
This week’s flash sale offers exclusive $100 8 x 12 inch fine-art photographic prints by Ami Vitale, Reuben Wu, and Michael "Nick" Nichols. Purchases benefit Reteti Elephant Sanctuary and the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots and Shoots Program. Vital Impacts is a women-led non-profit which uses art and storytelling to support people and organizations who are protecting our planet.
Photo by Ami Vitale
Mary Lengees comforts Lodokejek, an orphaned calf at Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya. The sanctuary is changing the lives of both elephants and people. Elephants are orphaned as a result of drought, human-wildlife conflict, natural mortality, and in rare cases, poaching. Reteti sanctuary is unique as the first community owned and run elephant sanctuary in Africa.
Follow Ami on Instagram @amivitale
Photo by Reuben Wu. Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas (XT1568_Still).
A glowing halo above the Siloli altiplano desert in Bolivia. This image is from Reuben Wu’s body of work “Lux Noctis", an ongoing project that depicts landscapes unbound by time and space, influenced by ideas of planetary exploration, chiaroscuro painting, and science fiction.
Follow Reuben on Instagram @reuben
Photo by Michael "Nick" Nichols. Jou Jou and Dr. Jane Goodall, Brazzaville Zoo, Republic of Congo, 1990.
Late one afternoon as she was checking on the zoo chimps that her organization had been feeding, Jane Goodall approached the cage of a dangerous and aggressive male. Disarming him with a language learned from her years of research, she offered her golden hair for him to touch. It was a simple moment that came to represent so much.
Jane Goodall Institute does not endorse handling or close proximity to wildlife. This represents a historic context.
Follow Michael on Instagram @michaelnicknichols
Learn more and explore all the exquisite works available by visiting Vital Impacts Print Sale.
Watch the launch video here.