KENYA CONFIRMS POLITICAL WILL TO DESTROY ITS ENTIRE IVORY STOCK
(Posted 17th November 2015)
While still in Kenya has word reached this correspondent that the Chairman of Kenya Wildlife Service, Dr. Richard Leakey, confirmed the country’s intent to destroy all the remaining ivory stocks, following a burning ceremony earlier in the year by President Kenyatta.
The name Leakey is presently on many lips after Angelina Jolie made it clear yesterday that a planned film about Dr. Richard Leakey’s life and struggle against poaching and for the conservation of Kenya’s wildlife will after all go ahead, no doubt suitably dramatized to capture a global audience and perhaps get into award territory. Brad Pitt has been widely tipped to be the lead actor though this could not be ascertained at this stage.
Meanwhile in Kenya are the recently audited ivory stockpiles amounting to nearly 140 tons and if destroyed would send a massive signal to in particular China that the days of their uncontrolled greed for the white ivory are coming to an end.
Whether the ivory in Kenya will be burned or crushed is still open but it was learned that the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenyan government plan to make it a showcase event which will be broadcast around the world for the sheer size of the number of tusks which will be destroyed.
Kenya Wildlife Service’s strongrooms are packed with legal ivory found when elephant died a natural death but of course also piles upon piles of confiscated blood ivory which was either found at airports or in full container loads at the port of Mombasa or in warehouses getting prepared to be smuggled out of country.
This move is bound to once again to lift Kenya’s conservation status and reputation around the world and tourism stakeholders hope this can then translate into larger numbers of visitors. For information about the Kenya Wildlife Service click on www.kws.go.ke
