Thanks to all our wonderful supporters we managed to reach our ask of 200,000 signatures by August 12, World Elephant Day. We are now at 212,000 signatures and our next goal is to reach 300,000 by May 2019. 

The next CoP18 (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) takes place in Sri Lanka, May 2019. CITES is an international treaty agreement between governments whose aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens does not threaten their survival. Canada is one of 183 countries who has signed this treaty. Although Canada has rules under legislation for international trade, the domestic trade is still allowed within the country. Illegal ivory can slip through loopholes under the auspice of legal ivory.

We intend to continue our #ivoryfreecanada campaign asking the Canadian government to end the domestic trade in elephant ivory in Canada. Other countries such as the UK, France, China, and the US have implemented stricter laws in regards to their domestic trade, with the UK being the toughest to date.

Just in the past month, 87 elephants were slaughtered in Botswana. Dr. Rene Beyers, Elephanatics' African Elephant Specialist, speaks to Ben Mulroney of CTV National News, about the poaching crisis and Canada's role in the trade (below).

Please continue to sign and share our petition to help us reach our next goal of 300,000 signatures. We thank you for your continued support! 

Elephanatics