http://mgafrica.com/article/20...s-and-global-figures



Hollywood and global activists to watch as Kenya burns largest ever ivory stockpile at summit

26 JAN 2016 19:45AFP


Actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman, business tycoons George Soros, musician Elton John, and former Chinese basketball Yao Ming to attend



KENYA said Tuesday it will torch its vast stockpile of ivory at an upcoming star-studded summit in the country to include Hollywood celebrities, presidents and business leaders against “poaching and illegal trade in ivory.”

The fire will be eight times the size of any ivory stockpile destroyed so far.

“Kenya plans to use the occasion to torch as many as 120 tonnes of ivory, the largest stockpile of ivory ever destroyed by any country, as proof of our commitment to zero tolerance for poaching and illegal ivory trade,?” presidential spokesman Manoah Esipisu told reporters.

Kenya said “several” heads of state were expected to attend, along with Hollywood actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicole Kidman, and business tycoons George Soros, Paul Allen, Howard Buffet and Michael Bloomberg.

Others Kenya expects to attend include conservation icon and BBC legend David Attenborough, British musician Elton John, as well as former basketball star Yao Ming, who has led campaigns in his homeland of China to raise awareness of the damage elephant poaching causes.

President Uhuru Kenyatta set fire in March 2015 to a giant pile of 15 tonnes of elephant ivory, which conservationists said then was the largest ever burned in Africa.

Then, the pile of tusks burned made a dramatic three-metre (10-foot) tall pyre of tusks with huge flames, burning for several days until the ivory turned to ash.

At the time, Kenyatta said he set fire to ivory as a message because he wanted “future generations of Kenyans, Africans and the entire world to experience the majesty and beauty of these magnificent beasts.”

The promised destruction of the remaining stockpile is now slated for April 29 and 30.

30,000 elephants poached ever year

Veteran conservationist Richard Leakey, chairman of the government’s Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), has championed the destruction of seized ivory.

Leakey said the average weight of an elephant’s pair of tusks was around 36 kilos, meaning the stockpile represents the death of around 4,000 animals.

But other conservationists put a tusk’s weight to be now far lower, meaning the stockpile could represent the deaths of even double that number.

The ivory includes tusks seized from poachers and from animals who died naturally.

The campaign is being organised by billionaire Russian publisher Evgeny Lebedev, owner of Britain’s Independent and Evening Standard newspapers.

Leakey, a world famous paleontologist, is in talks to make a film of his life, made by Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie.

Speaking late last year, Leakey refused to confirm rumours Brad Pitt was tipped to play him in the film.

Ivory is sought out for jewellery and decorative objects and much of it is smuggled to China, where many increasingly wealthy shoppers are buying ivory trinkets as a sign of financial success.

Kenya’s stockpile, if illegally sold on the black market at current prices, could be worth some $270 million (over 251 million euros), but conservationists say sale of ivory only serves to fuel further poaching.

It is estimated that more than 30,000 elephants are killed for their tusks every year.

The international ivory trade was banned in 1989 but one-off sales of ivory stockpiles have since been permitted and trade in old ivory is also allowed, giving criminal smugglers cover for their illegal trade.

Can you imagine how much anti-poaching patrols you could fund with $270 Million?

I'm sure decreasing the supply will decrease the demand as well.

What a complete waste of ivory!

Hmm? I wonder if President Uhuru Kenyatta's beloved mother, Ngina Kenyatta, will be a guest speaker at the special occasion? Oh well, just another day in Africa.

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
Can you imagine how much anti-poaching patrols you could fund with $270 Million?

Who says they want to stop the poaching?

If there was no poaching, these bloody idiots will be totally irrelevant!

Dumb
Just like here building border wall
Unless you make it very very expensive for employers caught up employing illegals, nothing will change

Stupid is as stupid does

Am I the only one who suspects a bonfire would be a great way to hide moving a few tons of tusks into the illegal marketplace, and also help maintain the price for ivory?

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:
Am I the only one who suspects a bonfire would be a great way to hide moving a few tons of tusks into the illegal marketplace, and also help maintain the price for ivory?

Bill Quimby

No!

That list of "celebrities" is not comprised of our "friends."

It's a sin.

quote:

Originally posted by Cajun1956:
Hmm? I wonder if President Uhuru Kenyatta's beloved mother, Ngina Kenyatta, will be a guest speaker at the special occasion? Oh well, just another day in Africa.

Hey, I've got a brilliant idea! Let's make illegal trafficking in wildlife illegal! That's all they will achieve - and a couple of hand-outs for the worst example of wildlife conservation on the African continent.

Hollywood likes drama....and that's that!

I'm sort of wondering just how the logic works where you have a very expensive and scarce resource, and destroy it in an orgy of self-congratulation with a Hollywood circle-jerk instead of selling it and using the money to fight poaching to at least give meaning to the deaths of these animals, will fight poaching and ensure the survival of these animals.

That sentence above is very convoluted, but it does make sense.

I wonder whether the "activists" will dig in their pockets and raise $270 million for anti-poaching.

quote:

Originally posted by Barry Groulx:
Hey, I've got a brilliant idea! Let's make illegal trafficking in wildlife illegal! That's all they will achieve - and a couple of hand-outs for the worst example of wildlife conservation on the African continent.

It's worked so well for drugs, murder, terrorism - why didn't someone think of this before?

logical thinking is where all of you are missing the point gentlemen. There is nothing rational about these people.They are extremists and as conjusive to solving problems in any sphere as any extremist anywhere else.

You have to wonder if the WWF and others of their ilk are paying big monies to Kenyan officials for stunts like this?

Just amazing that Kenya is showing off how much ivory has been poached? USF&WS should ban all imports from Kenya starting with Tea.

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
Just amazing that Kenya is showing off how much ivory has been poached? USF&WS should ban all imports from Kenya starting with Tea.

quote:

USF&WS should ban all imports from Kenya starting with Tea.

And politicians.

quote:

business tycoons George Soros, Paul Allen, Howard Buffet and Michael Bloomberg.

Serious financial firepower and an interesting bunch. I know Paul Allen is anti hunting. Bloomberg anti gun.

Soros a financial genius regardless of his political views and Howard Buffet a Nebraska farmer with a rich Dad.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by bwana cecil:

quote:

USF&WS should ban all imports from Kenya starting with Tea.

And politicians.

here is how i look at it, hope this doesn't offend too many, i start a campaign against ivory poaching, get free donations for cash to support this, then give myself a salary of say... 500k per year, send out a few leaflets once in a while, put a few ads out, then set on my ass, chat with a few celebs then go set on my ass some more maybe at sadnhal beach 6 months out of the year, get my friends a job there doin the same. Is there a college where people could learn this trade?

While I am always amazed, I am never surprised by the stupidity of people.

hope you got the entertainment value from that, I know there are good causes and I know there are those who's lifestyle benefits from something they care nothing about, it is odd to me that they use celebrities to lead these kind of things, in my younger days we looked at war heroes and great politicians for leadership.

I've never met Paul Allen but I do know that he is invested in conservation projects that are bieng spearheaded by hunters. the fact that he doesn't shun away from talking and listening to hunters tells me that, at least, he is open minded enough to discuss with both sides of the 'great divide'. With someone of his stature, that isn't a bad thing i owuld think.