On the 24th September, global marches took place around the world against the trade in Ivory and Rhino horn. The fact that it was scheduled on the opening day of the CITES conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, made it all the more poignant.
I joined the London March with about a thousand other protesters, young and old, to add my voice to the fact that we need the UK government, alongside Europe, to lead the fight against the legal and illegal trade that is causing the decline of so many species on the planet.
A letter was delivered to PM Theresa May by the those who delivered wonderful, impassioned speeches including Virginia Mckenna, Ian Redmond, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Simon Jones, Nicky Campbell, Anneka Svenska, Dome Dyer, Stanley Johnson MEP, Ruth Powys and others.
Like so many other campaigns I support, the logic is very simple. If you stop the trade, you will stop the killing. Sadly, it looks like the UK will side with Europe and flaccidly push for a partial ban. Ivory from before 1947 is okay it seems because elephants slaughtered before that date don’t matter.
Africa can no longer be trusted with guarding its share of the planet’s wildlife, and so, pressure from the rest of the world is needed to persuade her to invest more in conservation initiatives, backed by on-the-ground commitment. Pressure on international airlines and courier companies who are complicit in the trade needs to be increased.
Ban the trade…
By the time she goes to university – they could all be gone in the wild
Artwork
Flair of red
Ban the trade in ivory and rhino horn
Rhino at the ready
Fuelling up for the March
A family herd
Rhino amongst the elephants
Dom Dyer getting us started
Stanley Johnson MEP brought a bag of smiles with him
Ian Redmond. A legend…with Archie
The youth are watching us destroy their natural heritage.
Speeches good enough to capture the imagination of the young
Stop the bloody ivory trade.
Extinction is forever
Flying the flag
Three trunks
London March for Elephants is serious business
Marching to the beat of a drum
Here we go
Young herd member
The costumed herd
Only Appendix 1 will do
It is not just the elephants that are being killed
Onwards to Downing Street
Elephants need your help
March along Regents Street
Ban the trade in ivory Prime Minister
We should be protecting the natural heritage for our young
Tell all who will listen – Stop killing elephant and rhino
March of the London herd
Picadilly colours. Ban the trade in ivory
Hitting Trafalgar Square. The message continues.
Unless we act, they will be gone in our lifetime
Dom Dyer delivering a message at South Africa House, London
Leading from the front – Dom Dyer, policy advisor at Bornfee
One dies every fifteen minutes
Scream for elephants and rhino
Every message helps
Getting a vantage point for the speeches
A wonderful speech from Virginia McKenna OBE about our responsibility to protect the Elephant and Rhino for our children
Nicky Campbell
Ruth Powys highlighting the plight of the Asin elephant. Not enough exposure for this endangered cousin of the savannah and forest elephant
Simon Jones from Helping Rhinos. They need our support just as much as the elephants do.
Anneka Svenska, founder of Green World TV. Tireless campaigner and media producer giving a great speech.
Stop the trade and you stop the killing
Individuals in a group can make a difference. #startswith1thing
Says it all. The reason why we March
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall wrapping up the speeches. Can’t wait for his documentary.
