National Geographic: Ethiopia Burns Entire 6.1-Ton Ivory Stockpile

  Posted by Laurel Neme in A Voice for Elephants on March 20, 2015       ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – At a ceremony today in the capital, Ethiopia burned its entire 6.1-ton ivory stockpile. The event was held at the Gulele Botanical Garden, close to the headquarters of the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), where the ivory had been stored.…

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National Geographic: Will Mobilization of Military Forces Stop Elephant Poaching in Cameroon

  Posted by Laurel Neme in A Voice for Elephants on February 14, 2015      Ten elephant carcasses discovered in mid-January in and around Cameroon’s Bouba Ndjida National Park are raising fears that poachers may again be targeting the park. But information remains sketchy. According to the Cameroon Tribune, a government newspaper, the military made several patrols following reports of gunfire…

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USA Today Cites Laurel Neme’s Work

The following USA Today article disputes Laurel Neme’s Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Times on Terrorism and the Ivory Trade.   Illegal ivory may not be funding African terror group Tristan McConnell, GlobalPost 10:41 a.m. EST November 14, 2014 (Photo: Jason Straziuso, AP) 41 CONNECT 37 TWEETLINKEDIN 1 COMMENTEMAILMORE NAIROBI, Kenya — Hollywood director Kathryn Bigelow has made a 3-minute animated short…

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National Geographic: U.S. Indictment Accuses South African Brothers of Trafficking Rhino Horns

Safari outfitters allegedly duped hunters into paying extra to illegally shoot rhinos.   Laurel Neme for National Geographic Published October 23, 2014 U.S. authorities today announced the indictment of the alleged kingpin of a South African rhino poaching and trafficking syndicate, Dawie Groenewald, and his brother, Janneman, and their company Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris on multiple charges,…

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Kenya Wildlife Service forensics lab a step closer to opening

Kenya Wildlife Service forensics lab is a step closer to opening. Much is promised but challenges remain. Article in Kenya’s The Star reviews progress. See: http://allafrica.com/stories/201410131052.html   13 October 2014 Kenya: KWS Plans Sh100 Million DNA Lab to Catch Poachers By Gilbert Koech CONVICTION rates for crimes arising from handling of wildlife trophies will soon rise…

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Chelsea Clinton shares Laurel’s NatGeo article on Rangers

I’m honored that Chelsea Clinton shared my NatGeo piece on the daily challenges facing rangers. It was painful to write, and it’s painful to read. But even more painful to live it. I’m grateful to her for helping to share their stories – and by doing so supporting these unsung heroes.

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National Geographic: In Hong Kong, Kids Take Action to Stop the Illegal Ivory Trade

      Schoolchildren are working together to raise awareness of the toll of the illegal ivory trade.  Photograph by Katrina Shute Laurel Neme for National Geographic Published April 24, 2014 Part of our weekly “In Focus” series—stepping back, looking closer. Hong Kong schoolchildren are transforming attitudes about elephant ivory through small actions that are having…

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National Geographic: Elephant Foster Mom: A Conversation with Daphne Sheldrick

  Posted by Laurel Neme in A Voice for Elephants on December 6, 2013         Orphaned elephants “can be fine one day and dead the next,” says Daphne Sheldrick, a Kenyan conservationist and expert in animal husbandry. She knows. To date, she has fostered over 250 calves, first in partnership with her husband, David Sheldrick, founding warden…

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