A Florida law would follow ivory and rhino horn bans recently passed in New York and New Jersey

Resolution sends clear message that Miami-Dade County recognizes that criminals benefitting from sales of ivory must be stopped

NEW YORK – Nov. 20, 2014 – The Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums (FAZA) and 96 Elephants praised the Miami-Dade County Commissioners for the passage of (R-944-14), a resolution urging the Florida State Legislature to pass a law banning the sales of ivory in Florida.

A law in Florida would follow New York and New Jersey, both of which recently passed laws prohibiting the sale of elephant ivory and rhino horn. The laws were passed in an effort to stop the demand and trafficking of ivory which is depleting Africa’s elephant population at an unsustainable rate of 96 per day. In 2012 alone, more than 35,000 elephants were slaughtered for their ivory.

“The membership of the Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums (FAZA) is most appreciative for the support and leadership shown by Commissioner Dennis Moss and his follow County Commissioners of Miami-Dade County in adopting this important legislation,” said Lawrence E. Killmar, PhD., President, Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

FAZA, along with many of its members, is a 96 Elephant partner, a campaign named for the number of elephants slaughtered each day and launched by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to help end the crisis facing Africa’s elephants by stopping the killing, stopping the trafficking, and stopping the demand.

Said John F. Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants campaign: “On behalf of the more than 170 partners that have joined the campaign, we commend the Miami-Dade County Commissioners for recognizing the urgency to strengthen laws governing the trade of ivory. Miami-Dade County is demonstrating their leadership on this important issue and has taken the first step in closing another door for the import of illegal ivory into the U.S.”

State ivory bans complement and bolster federal ban enforcement efforts by adopting stronger laws on intrastate trade.

For more information on the elephant poaching crisis, visit www.96Elephants.org.

CONTACT:
STEPHEN SAUTNER: 718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org
MAX PULSINELLI: 718-220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org

Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. VISION: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: www.wcs.org; facebook.com/TheWCS;youtube.com/user/WCSMedia; follow: @theWCS.

96 Elephants
WCS is leading global efforts to save Africa’s elephants and end the current poaching and ivory trafficking crisis. In September, WCS launched its 96 Elephants campaign to amplify and support the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) “Partnership to Save Africa’s Elephants” by stopping the killing, stopping the trafficking, and stopping the demand. The WCS campaign focuses on: securing effective moratoria on sales of ivory; bolstering elephant protection; and educating the public about the link between ivory consumption and the elephant poaching crisis. www.96elephants.org