10 things to know about 6 ton ivory crush

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_IVORY_CRUSH_TEN_THINGS_TO_KNOW?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-11-14-08-07-24

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is destroying 6 tons of confiscated ivory at a federal repository outside Denver on Thursday. Here `s 10 things to know about the ivory crush:

CRUSHED TO DUST

Officials are using rock crushers to pulverize ivory elephant tusks, figurines and jewelry - most of the U.S. stockpile of confiscated ivory - at the National Wildlife Property Repository.

SEEKING PUBLICITY

Authorities hope the ivory crush will send a message to poachers and smugglers responsible for ivory trafficking that encourages the slaughter of thousands of elephants, most of them in Africa, each year. More likely, Thursday's event will raise consumer awareness.

THE GLOBAL TRADE

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates the illegal ivory trade is a $10 billion global industry. Demand is booming in the United States and among China's growing middle class. The British-based Born Free Foundation estimates 32,000 elephants were killed last year.

[Demeter]

1. That makes about as much sense as bombing the s*** out of Syrian civilians

because you want to remove the dictator...which we convinced Obama not to do (with a lot of help from the rest of the world, exp. Russia.)

[eppur_se_muova]

2. Better idea -- sell it at 1/20th its market value

Drive the market out of profitability, instead of simply forbidding it.

[xchrom]

3. i can't disagree with that -- the elephants are already dead. nt