Save species, vote yes on !-1401

In 1800, there were 28 million wild African elephants. Global demand for ivory in the 19th and 20th centuries decimated herds, and by 1990 there were only 600,000 left. Strong legislation in 1989 effectively ended the ivory trade and, by 2000, the herds grew to nearly one million.

In 1999, political pressure from South Africa and Asian countries forced the sale of large stockpiles, which flooded the market with legal ivory. It is difficult to prove ivory is antique, and it’s very easy to pass off new ivory as old. This reopened the doors to black market ivory trade. The killing resumed and numbers fell again.

This action, along with ravenous demand in China and the United States, has fueled an epidemic of elephant poaching, 100 animals are slaughtered every day.

The African elephant will be extinct in 10 years if the trend continues, and it won’t stop until demand ends. All ivory sales must be outlawed or illegal sales will continue in the shadows. This might affect the value of the antique family revolver or piano, but is that worth the elephant’s extinction?

Vote yes on Initiative 1401.

Peter Hession

Spokane