I think it´s our duty to start writing to Cites and I today sent them the following:

Dear sirs/madames,

I am a dedicated conservationist/hunter that strongly opposes the proposed ban on trading in ivory. The situation, as you well know, is that the African elephant in many places needs culling (Botswana, Kruger Park etc) due to the damage that the overpopulation has had onto the environment. I also know that you have received reports by people like Ron Thomson you can back this up scientifically.

The 3 objectives of the WCS are;
1- To maintain essential ecological processes and life support systems on wehich human survival depends.
2- To preserve genetic diversity, and
3- TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABLE UTILISATION OF SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS

If the above has any meaning at all then there will be no ban on the trading of ivory, on the contrary it should serve the purpose intended: Sustainable utilisation of species and ecosystems.

Yours Truly,

Curt West
M.Sci., MD,
curt.west@vndata.fi
Finland

This might not carry much clout on it´s own but it sure can´t hurt.

The address is: info@cites.org