We have provided an easy to use on-line form to send an e-mail
to Donald Barry and the
Chief for the Office of Scientific Authority (US FWS). Please click here
to go to the form submission. Keep in mind that we need you to send a hard copy letter / fax as well (as they tend to be valued more) The Associated Press issued an article on March 2 entitled "Nations Square Off
on Ivory Trade" that you may have seen [go to
http://www10.nytimes.com/aponline/i/AP-Ivory-Battle.html to read article in full].
This article tells of how the U.S. has yet to take a stance on the
impending proposed resurgence in ivory trade, a decision which will be made at the CITES meeting next month (April) in Nairobi. If this ban is lifted, it will spell disaster for African elephants. Yesterday,
Marshall Jones, assistant director of international affairs at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said at a press conference in Washington that officials won't decide the U.S. position until after public opinion
is gathered, starting with a meeting in Washington MARCH 13. It is imperative that Americans tell our government how we feel about international trade in African elephant ivory. EVERY VOICE COUNTS in a matter like this. PLEASE help by writing to the head of the U.S. delegation to CITES:Donald Barry
Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks
U.S. Department of the Interior
18th and C Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20240
Fax: 202-208-4684
E-mail: donald_barry@ios.doi.gov
CC: r9osa@fws.gov
Tell him how you as an American feel about the resurgence of elephant ivory trade. If you need some specific language, please feel free to use the below points, taken from the Humane Society's web site, at www.hsus.org (also see their web site for other ideas on what you can do):Ask that the U.S. do the following:
- Support the proposal submitted by Kenya and India to return all elephant populations currently on CITES Appendix II to Appendix I, thus banning
the international trade in elephants and their parts, including ivory.
- Oppose the proposals put forward by Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe to establish an annual ivory export quota and to expand trade in live elephants and elephant parts, such as skins and hunting trophies.
- Oppose the proposal submitted by South Africa that would allow it transfer its population to Appendix II so that it can export stockpiled ivory
from elephants killed in Kruger National Park and export live elephants and elephant skin and hunting trophies.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP! |
