Ivory trade pushing elephants toward extinction

[Freedom]

'The Ivory Game': DiCaprio documentary tackles illegal trade - CNN.com

(CNN) An elephant is killed every 15 minutes.

That's the blunt statistic closing "The Ivory Game," Netflix's latest foray into original documentary. Directed by Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson, and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, the figure makes for a brutal full stop to their breakneck exposé of the global ivory trade.

It's also a statistic that puts the African elephant on course for extinction. By Ladkani and Davidson's calculation, 35,000 are being killed a year. In August, the Great Elephant Census revealed it had found just 352,271 animals in the countries it had surveyed.

Thriving on corruption, subterfuge and greed, the ivory trade is not just an African problem. Sprawling and nebulous, its complex web connects Zambian poachers and basement dealers in Hong Kong, Kenyan reserves and Vietnamese carving factories. Never far from the surface is the presence of organized crime.

[TitoFan]

I had read similar articles in National Geographic, but the numbers you put there are sobering. If accurate, we're headed toward extinction of elephants in a 10-year period. That is beyond sad. What makes it sadder is that these animals are slaughtered merely for their tusks. It's a stark reminder of many humans' total disregard for nature and for future generations who'll miss out on seen these magnificent animals.

[p4pking]

Yes it's pathetic beyond belief, made worse by the fact that it's one of those things there is only a market for BECAUSE it's illegal. What is the purpose of Ivory, it doesn't look pretty, has no superior function to anything(used to be that it was the best surface for piano keys, plastic has been every bit as good for decades).

I've also read that a lot of the poachers, since they can't afford or find elephant rifles, will surround the things in packs and use AK's to bring them down, which don't even penetrate the things skin, so they are slowly bludgeoning the animals to death. Sick.

[vidgil]

I'm a big fan of ivory. I'm a pianist and won't play any piano without ivory keys. I've got a couple of pistols with ivory grips.

[Batman]

I play the piano and wouldn't wan't one with ivory keys

[p4pking]

I also own quite a nice piano I play, it was made in 1867 and so naturally has Ivory keys. It's not even close to one of the more important factors in feel though, doesn't affect the action whatsoever.

You wouldn't play a Steinway made after the 1950's huh vidgil? What are you Glenn Gould If that was a serious post I have a suggestion for one way you could use your ivory pistols.

[TitoFan]

Vegetable Ivory: A Humane Alternative to Senseless Elephant Slaughter

[walrus]

The population in Africa is exploding beyond most other parts of the world. It's out of control in a country that can't take care of or protect the people let alone elephants. I fear that along with the Chinese desire for tusks in medicine and for decoration will kill off these majestic anilmals. My idea, kill Africans and Chinese to save these beautiful beasts @denilson200

#bringbackbeans

[Gandalf]

It is awful what human have done to this beautiful planet. What do we want in the end? Sprawling concrete jungles that stretch as far as the eye can see all in the name of consumption and wealth creation? Humans can be quite absurd. The creatures that evolved over millions of years have just as much right to be here as we do. We have such capacity for good, but we use it for greed and short term gain.

[vidgil]

I also own quite a nice piano I play, it was made in 1867 and so naturally has Ivory keys. It's not even close to one of the more important factors in feel though, doesn't affect the action whatsoever.

You wouldn't play a Steinway made after the 1950's huh vidgil? What are you Glenn Gould If that was a serious post I have a suggestion for one way you could use your ivory pistols.

I'm no Glenn Gould but I've performed for years, and yes, even performed the Goldberg variations in the style of Glenn Gould in concert!

When I'm tickling the ivory, I want to REALLY be tickling the ivory! I don't see why that's such a big deal, honestly!

[Batman]

I also own quite a nice piano I play, it was made in 1867 and so naturally has Ivory keys. It's not even close to one of the more important factors in feel though, doesn't affect the action whatsoever.

You wouldn't play a Steinway made after the 1950's huh vidgil? What are you Glenn Gould If that was a serious post I have a suggestion for one way you could use your ivory pistols.

I'm no Glenn Gould but I've performed for years, and yes, even performed the Goldberg variations in the style of Glenn Gould in concert!

When I'm tickling the ivory, I want to REALLY be tickling the ivory! I don't see why that's such a big deal, honestly!

well you are basically saying that if everyone that played piano shared your views then you are happy for an elephant to be killed each time someone buys a piano even though there is a perfectly good alternative, purely so you can say 'I really am tickling the ivory'

I would allow myself to get wound up and call you a fucking idiot but I refuse to believe that you are being serious

[denilson200]

'The Ivory Game': DiCaprio documentary tackles illegal trade - CNN.com

(CNN) An elephant is killed every 15 minutes.

That's the blunt statistic closing "The Ivory Game," Netflix's latest foray into original documentary. Directed by Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson, and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, the figure makes for a brutal full stop to their breakneck exposé of the global ivory trade.

It's also a statistic that puts the African elephant on course for extinction. By Ladkani and Davidson's calculation, 35,000 are being killed a year. In August, the Great Elephant Census revealed it had found just 352,271 animals in the countries it had surveyed.

Thriving on corruption, subterfuge and greed, the ivory trade is not just an African problem. Sprawling and nebulous, its complex web connects Zambian poachers and basement dealers in Hong Kong, Kenyan reserves and Vietnamese carving factories. Never far from the surface is the presence of organized crime.

Every major problem in Africa is the fault of white people.....white supremacists

Now - Are you man enough to challenge me on this point of view ?

[vidgil]

I also own quite a nice piano I play, it was made in 1867 and so naturally has Ivory keys. It's not even close to one of the more important factors in feel though, doesn't affect the action whatsoever.

You wouldn't play a Steinway made after the 1950's huh vidgil? What are you Glenn Gould If that was a serious post I have a suggestion for one way you could use your ivory pistols.

I'm no Glenn Gould but I've performed for years, and yes, even performed the Goldberg variations in the style of Glenn Gould in concert!

When I'm tickling the ivory, I want to REALLY be tickling the ivory! I don't see why that's such a big deal, honestly!

well you are basically saying that if everyone that played piano shared your views then you are happy for an elephant to be killed each time someone buys a piano even though there is a perfectly good alternative, purely so you can say 'I really am tickling the ivory'

I would allow myself to get wound up and call you a fucking idiot but I refuse to believe that you are being serious

Well technically I never said that they should keep killing elephants, as there are plenty of pianos that have already been made with ivory for those who want them (like myself), so there's really no need to make any more. And it's more than just so I can say "I really am tickling the ivory", a real pianist like myself can feel the difference.

And I have my pistols with the ivory grip already. So I'm not advocating for the killing of more elephants, my ivory needs have already been filled!

I'm just expressing my appreciation for ivory! There's no real substitute for ivory.

People are so hypocritical about their love for animals! Some animals they couldn't care less about!

[TitoFan]

'The Ivory Game': DiCaprio documentary tackles illegal trade - CNN.com

(CNN) An elephant is killed every 15 minutes.

That's the blunt statistic closing "The Ivory Game," Netflix's latest foray into original documentary. Directed by Richard Ladkani and Kief Davidson, and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, the figure makes for a brutal full stop to their breakneck exposé of the global ivory trade.

It's also a statistic that puts the African elephant on course for extinction. By Ladkani and Davidson's calculation, 35,000 are being killed a year. In August, the Great Elephant Census revealed it had found just 352,271 animals in the countries it had surveyed.

Thriving on corruption, subterfuge and greed, the ivory trade is not just an African problem. Sprawling and nebulous, its complex web connects Zambian poachers and basement dealers in Hong Kong, Kenyan reserves and Vietnamese carving factories. Never far from the surface is the presence of organized crime.

Every major problem in Africa is the fault of white people.....white supremacists

Now - Are you man enough to challenge me on this point of view ?

[El Kabong]

Well Lena Dunham still roams the earth so they ain't all extinct