The African country of Botswana has taken the outrageous step of legalizing elephant hunting, at a time when elephants are dying, at the rate of 100 a day, from poaching.

And it’s getting worse in Botswana. A recent aerial wildlife survey, conducted by Elephants Without Borders (EWB), showed an increased number of fresh elephant carcasses in the north of the country, undoubtedly the victims of poaching.

Make no mistake, the present government of Botswana cares nothing for elephants, viewing them as little more than a nuisance. Such is their contempt for world opinion and the safety of elephants, that it recently presented stools, made from elephant feet, to three African leaders during a meeting on the future of elephants.

The scale of this disaster is utterly catastrophic for elephants. During the 20th century, it is estimated that there were between three to five million African elephants. Now, there are only 400,000 left, and that number drops every single day, by 100 or more.

Yet, Botswana is asking the upcoming meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to allow it to export elephant tusks to the world, in spite of an international ban on the trade.

This outrageous behavior by Botswana makes Network for Animals’ work to save elephants in neighboring South Africa, even more important. We are relocating elephant families to wilderness areas, thousands of miles from poaching routes, and we are helping protect them by financing anti-poaching patrols.

In the light of these latest developments, we urgently need to do more – and do it faster, and we need your help to do so. Please give generously to Network for Animals today so that, no matter what happens in Botswana, we can save as many wild elephants as possible.

The area we work in is called the Addo National Park, and it is really the best hope for the world’s elephants. It is nearly 800 miles from Botswana, and 1,000 miles from the poaching hotspot of Mozambique. At Addo, if nowhere else, elephants will, hopefully, be safe.

For the animals,

Brian and Gloria Davies (and Max and Flora!)
Founder and CEO

P.S. We will do everything we can to persuade the Botswana government to reverse its sickening policies towards elephants, but we have little faith in the present government. What animal lovers need to do, is help elephants in practical ways, and that’s why we so urgently need you to donate today.