Meryl Speaks Up For Elephants & Rhinos
By Andreas Tai, via Wikimedia Commons
One of Hollywood's most distinguished stars has joined New Jersey's fight against ivory trafficking.
Actress and New Jersey native Meryl Streep released the following statement this week, urging New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to sign into law S.2012/A.3128 to prohibit all sales and trade in rhino horns and elephant ivory in the state:
“As a New Jersey native I was delighted to learn from my friends at The Humane Society of the United States that our state could be the first in the country to enact a ban on the importation and sale of ivory – a product of horrific cruelty to elephants and rhinos, who could very well become extinct within decades if we don’t act now. Governor, you have my full support and I hope you usher this critical bill through without delay.”
Creativecommons.org/Jon Y Can
The bill prohibits anyone from selling, offering for sale, purchasing, importing, bartering or possessing with intent to sell any ivory, ivory product, rhinoceros horn or rhinoceros horn product.
Creativecommons.org/Jon Y Can
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species said that more than 20,000 elephants were killed for their ivory last year. Save the Rhino International says the total population of rhinoceroses living in the wild has plummeted to just 29,000 worldwide.
