The Boy Scouts of America Greater New York Council has joined more than 140 other groups as partners of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s recently launched “96 Elephants Campaign” and will collaborate through a letter writing campaign and other advocacy efforts that include volunteering at the upcoming Run for the Wild to be held at the Bronx Zoo on April 26th. This year, the annual Run for the Wild is in support of the 96 Elephants campaign.
“We welcome The Boy Scouts of America Greater New York Council to our growing ‘herd’ of organizations. We are confident that the Scouts will play an incredibly important role helping to educate people to the terrible connection between the elephant poaching crisis and the possible extinction of this iconic species,” said John Calvelli, the zoo’s Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants Campaign.
“New York City Scouting and the Wildlife Conservation Society both have clear missions; closely linked in growing future leaders to take good care of our world and the wildlife who inhabit it. Greater New York Councils is very proud to support the 96 Elephants campaign. Youth can make a very positive difference,” said Ethan Draddy, Scout Executive & Chief Executive Officer.
96 Elephants was named for the number of elephants gunned down each day for their ivory. The Wildlife Conservation Society launched the campaign in September in support of the Clinton Global Initiative’s (CGI) commitment to end the crisis facing Africa’s elephants.
96 Elephants partners include more than 100 North American zoos and aquariums, along with the Bodhi Tree Foundation, DD&B Worldwide, Enough Project, ESRI, Horizon Media, Hotel Plaza Athanee, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Organization of Young Citizens of Guinea, The Resolve: LRA Crisis Initiative, Invisible Children and Tsavo Trust.
The campaign has already achieved success with the recent announcement by the Obama administration of a federal ban on most ivory sales. The campaign’s next steps are to pass state moratoria and close loopholes that would allow ivory to continue to be traded, as well as work with other nations on moratoria. New York State has already introduced legislation to ban the sale of ivory.
96 Elephants and its growing coalition of partners are driving action on behalf of saving elephants. 96 Elephants educates and engages the public through a series of activities including online petitions and letter writing campaigns enhanced through social media.
To learn more about the elephant crisis and how to help eradicate the demand for ivory, visit www.96elephants.org.
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