Posted on April, 02 2015

WWF is addressing a massive recent escalation in illegal killing and trade of rare and endangered species especially elephants, rhinos and tigers. The aim is to persuade governments at the highest levels that wildlife crime is serious and must be addressed effectively and urgently for the sake of wildlife, their habitats, sustainable economic development and national security.
 
Over a million people have participated in an anti-ivory campaign  in Thailand that seeks to change consumer attitudes by focusing attention on the link between ivory and illegal killing of elephant.  Since the January launch of the Chor Chang Can Save Elephants campaign, celebrities, artists, journalists, government officials and people from across the country have condemned the killing of elephants for ivory   by symbolically removing the letter ‘Chor Chang’ (ช) – a common letter in the Thai alphabet similar to ‘e for elephant’ – from their names. Meanwhile, Thailand took steps to improve the legislation governing its domestic ivory market and extend protection to African elephants ahead of a 31 March deadline from CITES, the convention regulating trade in endangered species.