Hope it's true...... it's not the complete solution but it is at least a good start.

http://www.china.org.cn/enviro...U589tbJgg2g.facebook


Tanzania on Friday announced that from now on all poachers arrested in its national parks and game reserves will be shot promptly right there in the jungle, ordering wildlife rangers to execute the directive immediately.

"There will be no forgiveness when it comes to cases of poachers terrorizing innocent wildlife like elephants, rhinos and other species in this country," Tanzania's Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Khamis Kagasheki said, adding there will be no need for poachers to take them to court.

The minister was speaking at the climax of the global Elephant March, which was held in 15 countries worldwide and in Tanzania the 3 km mass walk was held in its northern safari capital of Arusha.

He warned all perpetuators of poaching and those involving in illegal hunting to pack their weapons and find a legal business "as anyone who would be caught in the parks for whatever reasons will be shot dead on the spot."

Kagasheki, who seemed to be furious with the poaching incidents in the country, which is very rich in wildlife, warned that illegal hunters gunning for elephant tusks have wealthy international barons backing their rackets thus well equipped with advanced weaponry and usually can afford all legal assistance.

The head of Tanzania's wildlife watchdog said human rights issues doesn't count on the matter and Tanzania will not listen to anyone when it comes to implementing the order.

"I am very aware that some alleged human rights activists will make an uproar, claiming that poachers have as much rights to be tried in courts as the next person, but let's face it, poachers not only kill wildlife but also usually never hesitate to shoot dead any innocent person standing in their way," Kagasheki said.

"That is why you always hear that, court cases against poachers take very long and sometimes the culprits get acquitted and the only way to solve this problem is to execute the killers on spot," he said. "A survey will soon be launched to find out for real how many elephants get killed here annually because available figures range between 30 and 70 jumbos per day."

The Elephant March was organized by the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) in conjunction with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) through their 'i-worry' campaign. In the single largest demonstration of awareness for the species, the maiden Elephant March took place in Arusha, Bangkok, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Edinburgh, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Munich, New York City, Rome, Toronto, Washington D.C. and Wellington.

quote:

"I am very aware that some alleged human rights activists will make an uproar, claiming that poachers have as much rights to be tried in courts as the next person, but let's face it, poachers not only kill wildlife but also usually never hesitate to shoot dead any innocent person standing in their way," Kagasheki said."That is why you always hear that, court cases against poachers take very long and sometimes the culprits get acquitted and the only way to solve this problem is to execute the killers on spot," he said. "

+1

I think it's a great start but it'll only have a significant effect if they also catch & execute the guys at the top of the tree........ including those in Government and/or who hold diplomatic immunity.

Without that, the poaching probably won't even slow, let alone stop.

Fantastic news.

Now, can we also apply the same laws to their Chinese masters?

mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem

Good hunting
Carl Frederik

It could of course also have unforeseen consequences, especially in areas such as buffer zones where man and animals come into contact with each other more and/or depending on the criteria set and whether that criteria is obeyed or not.

Time will tell I guess and I have no doubt this only happened because of the recent US/elephant ban.

In a corrupt Africa, this type of policy or legislation will be used for gain other than controlling poachers. The odd opposition politician might become a “poacher”, others who make the wrong noise could suddenly be found on the edge of a park... shot as a poacher, and of course, the odd sport hunter or two may fall foul of this policy. This kind of blanket power - with no need to even pretend to follow the law - is dangerous in Africa.

And as others have said, is still not addressing the real problems.

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem

Good hunting
Carl Frederik

This policy will never be put into effect.

PR bullshit as usual.

Can’t we replace Poachers with politicians or at least add them?

quote:

An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't illegal to bring ivory into the US other than the sport hunted ivory in only certain countries?
I know there are several displays in the Atlanta airport with confiscated ivory on display warning not to try to bring it in.

I noticed this article is from Oct 2013, Has something changed more recently?

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Fantastic news.

Now, can we also apply the same laws to their Chinese masters?

+1

If I were a poacher operating under these conditions, anybody approaching would be shot on sight.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem

Good hunting
Carl Frederik

Carl,

Where did you get this information.

People haven't been able to bring carved ivory into the US in years.

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem

Good hunting
Carl Frederik

90% of statistics quoted are made up on the spot. I am calling BS on this one.

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem

Good hunting
Carl Frederik

It's actually a simple problem with a complex solution.

The simple problem is ivory and rhino horn are extremely valuable and Africans are very poor and not usually very intelligent and therefore willing to poach the relevant animals to alleviate their poverty.

The complex solution is that the guys at the top of the pyramid need to be caught and taken out and many of those guys are in Government and/or hold diplomatic immunity and therefore pretty much beyond justice. Find a way to remove those guys and the poaching will stop......... Whilst shooting the guys on the ground with the firearms in their hands is a great idea, they'll always be another one standing behind him, willing to pick up the gun and take over the role of the recently deceased.

Poachers have been regularly and routinely shot in many parts of Africa for as long as I can remember and when/where it can't be done legally, they've been shot whilst 'trying to escape' and despite that, the poaching not only continues but accelerates.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem

Good hunting
Carl Frederik

It's actually a simple problem with a complex solution.

The simple problem is ivory and rhino horn are extremely valuable and Africans are very poor and not usually very intelligent and therefore willing to poach the relevant animals to alleviate their poverty.

The complex solution is that the guys at the top of the pyramid need to be caught and taken out and many of those guys are in Government and/or hold diplomatic immunity and therefore pretty much beyond justice. Find a way to remove those guys and the poaching will stop......... Whilst shooting the guys on the ground with the firearms in their hands is a great idea, they'll always be another one standing behind him, willing to pick up the gun and take over the role of the recently deceased.

Poachers have been regularly and routinely shot in many parts of Africa for as long as I can remember and when/where it can't be done legally, they've been shot whilst 'trying to escape' and despite that, the poaching not only continues but accelerates.

My point exactly. We need to dry out the demand. We have all been very happy to blame china, but fact is that very much of the illegally carved ivory from china is sold to westerners that take it back home. USFW estimate that they only confiscate 10% of the ivory that is taken knowingly or unknowingly illigal into the US, and from that they have calculated that western tourists could be the end market for as much as 40% of the total amount carved in china. This is of course only an qualified guess, but it is with out doubt a large portion of the illegal ivory trade.
My point is; before we get to excited about shooting some poor man trying to feed his family we should look at our own back yard and understand and support the ban on ivory trade in our own counties.

Good hunting

Carl Frederik

Not anything new in Tanzania and I'm not against shooting poachers. I would not want to run afoul of a joint operation by the Tanzanian game department and the military.

Agree that it may cause the poachers to shoot at hunters legitimately in the block. Seems like that happened a few years ago in Masailand with tragic results.

The focus needs to be on the Chinese, however. Seems like the Tanzanian government is working at cross purposes -- accepting Chinese investment, while not recognizing that this fosters poaching.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem

Good hunting
Carl Frederik

This policy will never be put into effect.

PR bullshit as usual.

""In 1989, "Operation Uhai" helped the elephant population rebound after it reached a low of about 30,000, when it had been about 110,000 in 1976.""

It was VERY effective; ask the PHs or outfitters who were around at the time for details.

On the last 11 of June, the Wildlife Conservation Foundation of Tanzania organized a ''Diner de Gala''in Paris by the Champ Elysée to get money to fight against elephant poaching. I was there with the Minister Khamis Kagasheki, Ambassador of Tanzania, President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Prince Charles Antoine de Ligne, John Jackson from conservation Force and 150 hunters and non hunters. We were all involved for this cause. I think Tanzania is motivated to fight against this big problem. I can tell you it is already working on the ground... I hope the situation will get better during the coming months.
I will be in the Selous Game Reserve for the next 120 days...hunting. I will keep you up date.
Christophe

http://allafrica.com/stories/201406200833.html



Tanzania: Selous Elephants, Rhinos in Critical Danger
20 JUNE 2014


ONE of Africa's largest protected wildlife sanctuaries, the Selous Game Reserve, has been included in the list of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)'s World Heritage in Danger owing to widespread poaching which is decimating wildlife population in the reserve.

The decision was reached in Doha, Qatar, during the 38th World Heritage Committee meeting. The Committee called on the international community, including ivory transit and destination countries, to support Tanzania in the fight against the criminal activity.

This comes just a day after the remains of East Africa's great ports which are found in Tanzania namely Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara were removed from the list of World Heritage in Danger on Wednesday.

The sites were in the year 2004 put on the List of World Heritage in Danger because of deterioration and decay leading to the collapse of the historical and archaeological structures for which the property was inscribed.

Covering 50,000 square kilometres, the Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest protected areas in Africa. The sanctuary is renowned for its populations of elephant, black rhinoceros, cheetah, giraffe, hippopotamus and crocodile, amongst many other species.

It also has an exceptionally high variety of habitats including Miombo woodlands, open grasslands, revering forests and swamps, making it a valuable laboratory for on-going ecological and biological processes.

However, rampant poaching has caused a dramatic decline in the wildlife populations, especially elephants and rhino, whose numbers have dropped by almost 90 per cent since 1982, when the sanctuary was inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The 38th session of the World Heritage Committee began on June 15 and will continue through to June 25, under the Chair of Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism yesterday said the population of elephants in the Selous Game Reserve has dwindled drastically from 70,000 in the year 2006 to 13,084 jumbos last year.

"The decreasing number of elephants in the reserve forced the government to take deliberate efforts to tackle the vice by boosting manpower and material support to fight poachers," the statement said.

The ministry was, however, optimistic that by putting the game reserve on the danger list, the World Heritage Committee would alert the international community to support Tanzania's efforts to curb poaching of elephants and rhinos.

"Through the decision, the committee has given Tanzania one year to cooperate with the international community to curb poaching in the Selous Game Reserve so that it can be removed from the list.

"Germany has reacted swiftly by pledging one million Euros to support us while Portugal, Algeria, Senegal, Lebanon and Colombia have joined the former to support Tanzania's bid to stop poaching," reads part of the statement by the ministry.

Selous Game Reserve is among seven UNESCO's World Heritage cites in Tanzania. Others are Kondoa Rock Art Sites, Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara, Stone Town of Zanzibar as well as Kilimanjaro National Park and Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.

wwww. arushatimes.co.tz

issn 0856 - 9135

Issue No. 0817:
June 21 - 27, 2014
Archives
Courts/ Police Log



Vietnamese crosses Namanga border with shs 120 million game trophies

Kenyan police at the Namanga border point have arrested a 46-year-old man of Vietnamese origin with animal trophies worth about Tshs 120 million ( about KSh.6 million).

The man is said to have been ferrying the trophies to Nairobi from Arusha, Tanzania, according to The Standard issue of June 17.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Kajiado Warden Elema Hapicha told The Standard the trophies weighed about 55 Kgs.
The man, Bui Dang Khoa, carrying his wares in three suitcases, is said to have been planning to either take a flight from Nairobi to his country or use Kenya as a transit point.

According to the Police, Mr. Khoa was in the company of two others, who managed to escape a police dragnet.
Among the items found in the suitcases were 12 pieces of ivory, 30 pieces of lion’s claws and eight lion’s canine teeth.

The trophies were wrapped in paper and aluminum foils and then nicely covered with tissue paper. Residents at the border post became skeptical about the suitcases and tipped Kenyan Police who arrested and confiscated the wildlife parts.

“We suspect the person could be part of a wide network of poachers in Tanzania,” said Mr. Hapicha.

The suspect told the Standard he had been in the country for the last 10 days, touring parts of Mount Kilimanjaro with his girl friend, who at the time of arrest was in Nairobi.

There are black rhino in the Selous???? Still???? If so that's news to me!

Brett

quote:

Originally posted by BrettAKSCI:
There are black rhino in the Selous???? Still???? If so that's news to me!

Brett

PM me and I'll oblige you with some info.

quote:

Originally posted by fujotupu:

quote:

Originally posted by BrettAKSCI:
There are black rhino in the Selous???? Still???? If so that's news to me!

Brett

PM me and I'll oblige you with some info.

I can't send you a PM for whatever reason. I sent you an email instead.

Brett

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem
_______________________________________________

Not sure I agree with that estimate. IMO: most all ivory is going to China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan. In China its big status symbol to have something in their house made of ivory. Pity elephants are being wiped out just to make chopsticks, and stupid nude lady statues & elephant figurines, etc!

In the old days the 'unlucky' elephants were the tuskless ones (buddas, as we call them). They are indeed the very lucky elephants today!!

http://pachydermjournal.org/in...cle/viewFile/301/209

interesting scientific info on Rhino distribution.

I did not know that the Nile rhino has now been classified as a distinct species!

quote:

Originally posted by TANZ-PH:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem


_______________________________________________

Not sure I agree with that estimate. IMO: most all ivory is going to China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan. In China its big status symbol to have something in their house made of ivory. Pity elephants are being wiped out just to make chopsticks, and stupid nude lady statues & elephant figurines, etc!

In the old days the 'unlucky' elephants were the tuskless ones (buddas, as we call them). They are indeed the very lucky elephants today!!

TANZ-PH
I think maybe you did not see my next post; "We need to dry out the demand. We have all been very happy to blame china, but fact is that very much of the illegally carved ivory from china is sold to westerners that take it back home. USFW estimate that they only confiscate 10% of the ivory that is taken knowingly or unknowingly illigal into the US, and from that they have calculated that western tourists could be the end market for as much as 40% of the total amount carved in china. This is of course only an qualified guess, but it is with out doubt a large portion of the illegal ivory trade.
My point is; before we get to excited about shooting some poor man trying to feed his family we should look at our own back yard and understand and support the ban on ivory trade in our own counties."



Good hunting

Carl Frederik

Just imagine if common sense prevailed.

East African countries could have set up their own ivory carving business, and converted all the confiscated ivory into cash.

They could have used that cash to fight poaching.

Instead, they had to satisfy the feel-good cravings of some brainless idiot in the West and burn the bloody lot!

Now Saeed you know that you can't let common sense get in the way of saving the elephant.

quote:

East African countries could have set up their own ivory carving business, and converted all the confiscated ivory into cash.

Once upon a time that's how it was - there were ivory trading centers which bought legal ivory from legal hunters and the ivory (between 17 to 20 Shs. to the pound) was re-sold to the carvers (legally) which once carved, would sell to the public and issue the buyer a legal govt. receipt.

That of course was in the "good old days" - then CITES came along and screwed it up.

Ebony will be next on the banned list so goodbye carvings, goodbye African culture.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
Instead, they had to satisfy the feel-good cravings of some brainless idiot in the West and burn the bloody lot!

Saeed,
You are correct. In terms of wildlife and esp Africa wildlife...the "Modern West" has no clue.

In fact I am beginning to think the "Modern West" has no clue about anything anymore...at least no common sense.

Old news which was never implemented.

Saeed you are right on. What a waste of ivory. It could be put to such better use to help the elephants that survive. You know in Italy it used to be that right out of high school you had to do some type of military service for two years.. Maybe that's what needs to happen in Africa, get those 18-20 year men and women out there on mandatory poaching patrols.

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:

quote:

Originally posted by TANZ-PH:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem


_______________________________________________

Not sure I agree with that estimate. IMO: most all ivory is going to China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan. In China its big status symbol to have something in their house made of ivory. Pity elephants are being wiped out just to make chopsticks, and stupid nude lady statues & elephant figurines, etc!

In the old days the 'unlucky' elephants were the tuskless ones (buddas, as we call them). They are indeed the very lucky elephants today!!

TANZ-PH
I think maybe you did not see my next post; "We need to dry out the demand. We have all been very happy to blame china, but fact is that very much of the illegally carved ivory from china is sold to westerners that take it back home. USFW estimate that they only confiscate 10% of the ivory that is taken knowingly or unknowingly illigal into the US, and from that they have calculated that western tourists could be the end market for as much as 40% of the total amount carved in china. This is of course only an qualified guess, but it is with out doubt a large portion of the illegal ivory trade.
My point is; before we get to excited about shooting some poor man trying to feed his family we should look at our own back yard and understand and support the ban on ivory trade in our own counties."



Good hunting

Carl Frederik

Carl,

You quoted the 40% of the carved ivory going to the US and UK in an earlier post.

I asked if you can document your source. You did not respond.

Since you reposted essentially the same thing again, I ask you again, where is this information from. Give us a publication or news release. Otherwise your post comes off as someone making up numbers and posting nonsense for their own benefit.

Considering the demand for ivory in the east, I would be surprised if carved ivory going to the US and the UK amounts to 5% of the total available. Probably far far less.

Regarding the USFW saying they only find 10% of wildlife contraband, I wouldn't dispute that. (Realize that most contraband consists of tourists buying ostrich eggs, porcupine quills, warthog tusk handled bottle openers, etc. and not declaring it.) 10% of a virtually insignificant number is still an insignificant number.

Alisa

I do think I tried to answer your question; It is from USFW. It was presented from a USFW director of some sort. I do not know how the estimate was calculated. Personally I would think this estimate from USFW is very uncertain but that does not really matter. What matters is that a large portion of the ivory poached ultimately ends up not only in china but also in our own countries.
The idea that legal ivory could be utilized and sold by the african countries is very sympathetic. Problem is that last time this was tried it did not work. There is no way any authority in Africa or elsewhere can distinguish legal ivory from poached ivory. That is why the ban on commercial ivory trade was introduced in 1989. At the time elephant poaching was out of control. The ban helped control the situation for years and I believe it is one of the main reasons we can enjoy elephant hunting now.
During the last years elephant poaching is again in the increase. Probably because the Chinese have become very wealthy and maybe also because there has been little focus on this problem for years.

I am certainly not an expert on the subject but I do believe that a ban on all ivory trade would help. Unfortunately even with bans people still buy ivory. Some because they do not care, some because they fool themselves to believe it is old ivory and many because they just don't know that they are fueling a demand that will eventually wipe out the african elephant.

Previosly we have discussed the burning of confiscated ivory. At first thought it is utterly meaningless, but I am not sure it could´t help. The burning of ivory stocks and even possible the British royal ivory is meant to send a signal to the public that buying and owning carved ivory is socially unacceptable. When it becomes socially unacceptable in the western countries the pressure on china to stop there trade will increase.
Nobody of course knows if it helps but I am sure that it is a better solution than shooting some poverty stricken peasant in Africa.

Please excuse my bad english


Good hunting

Carl Frederik

quote:

is a better solution than shooting some poverty stricken peasant in Africa.

Even the ones that wouldn't think twice before putting a bullet in you without even being given a reason to do so?

Its certainly not the first time such an incident has taken place and sure won't be the last.

quote:

is a better solution than shooting some poverty stricken peasant in Africa.
Even the ones that wouldn't think twice before putting a bullet in you without even being given a reason to do so?

fujo
I certainly hope I never have to pull the trigger on another human being, but I understand your analogy.
Sometimes those that live far from the problem & are on the outside looking in do not see the whole picture.
I can't remember the name of the ph that was killed by poachers not too long ago, but my neighbor knew him personally, the poachers certainly did not have any problem killing him & trying to kill the others as well.

Andre Du Kock, great person..

quote:

Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:

quote:

Originally posted by TANZ-PH:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Carl Frederik Nagell:
mmmmmh
An estimated 40% of all ivory carved in china is sold and brought brought back to mainly USA and Britain by tourists. Should they be shot to?
I do not think this is a good soulution to a complex problem


_______________________________________________

Not sure I agree with that estimate. IMO: most all ivory is going to China, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan. In China its big status symbol to have something in their house made of ivory. Pity elephants are being wiped out just to make chopsticks, and stupid nude lady statues & elephant figurines, etc!

In the old days the 'unlucky' elephants were the tuskless ones (buddas, as we call them). They are indeed the very lucky elephants today!!

TANZ-PH
I think maybe you did not see my next post; "We need to dry out the demand. We have all been very happy to blame china, but fact is that very much of the illegally carved ivory from china is sold to westerners that take it back home. USFW estimate that they only confiscate 10% of the ivory that is taken knowingly or unknowingly illigal into the US, and from that they have calculated that western tourists could be the end market for as much as 40% of the total amount carved in china. This is of course only an qualified guess, but it is with out doubt a large portion of the illegal ivory trade.
My point is; before we get to excited about shooting some poor man trying to feed his family we should look at our own back yard and understand and support the ban on ivory trade in our own counties."



Good hunting

Carl Frederik

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carl: Thanks for your input, but I still can't quite agree. Even if your estimates were correct, the Chinese are the main ones offering big $$$$ to Africans to poach our elephants. If they did not do this, the ivory carvings would NOT be there to sell to tourists in their shops. No,The stupid western tourist (in China),do not need to be shot (just heavily fined & jailed). I am not blaming exclusively the many Nouveau Riche of China...but also (to a lesser extent): Vietnam, Thailand, Japan. I have read many times about ship loads of Tanzania's ivory being confiscated from the docks in ALL these Asian countries in recent years. But I don't remember hearing about any ships arriving in usa or British harbors full of illegal ivory lately! But maybe I missed something?

Again, In cultures like China, it's a very important thing to have some elephant ivory items in your house. Can that be said of American, British (Western) households these days?? I don't think so. I'm sure some goes to western places (for musical instruments etc) ...but its a drop in the bucket compared to the far east!

Maybe back in the old days America imported lots of ivory (billiard balls etc); but nowadays its probably only the occasional idiot tourist trying to bring a small carving or bangle through the airport. Nothing compared to tons of ivory tusks on ships bound for the east. It's comparing a Boat full of Ivory vs a pocket full of ivory.

Are we really expected to believe 100% a vague "Estimate" from F&W like you suggest? I know about Chinese in East Africa. Anywhere they start working (roads, etc) there's usually a sudden big increase in poaching; a whole lot of dead elephants (with faces hacked off) laying about the bush! Most PHs & outfitters know this.
You say we have to "dry out the demand". I agree. It would be great to try to educate these folks...but I don't think the vast majority of them give a flying *@#*# about elephants in Africa.
They are not killing elephants to sell the ivory to a few stupid, or misguided tourists. The ivory is mainly for the millions of Chinese in China, who, IMO, are the biggest culprits when it comes to the illegal slaughter of elephants & other wildlife; be it ivory, rhino horns, tiger & lion bones, bear gall badders, shark fins, deer antlers etc etc.. An insatiable appetite. Could it ever stop??

I have several times seen whole elephant tusks & ivory openly for sale in Asian streets. I don't remember ever seeing that in America or Europe. Asians have an insatiable desire for ivory (& other wildlife). And only they can change this thousand year old desire.

You say not to blame poor folks for "feeding their families"? Now I'm never in favor of any person getting shot, but there's plenty of honest Africans who feed their families by honest means. Its like saying that dangerous drug dealers, and armed bank robbers in America are "Just feeding their families"...so why shoot them? I just can't agree with that statement at all. Its time to get tough!