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Thousands have marched in Africa and around the world to pressure governments to stop the poaching industry that many fear is driving rhinos and elephants to the brink of extinction.
The protests on Saturday, dubbed the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos, took place in 136 cities and towns across six continents, from Soweto to Nairobi, and Paris to New York and Tokyo.
In South Africa, which is struggling to stem a rhino poaching crisis, demonstrators gathered across 17 cities.
"We are protesting against the political leaders of the world, who do not have the guts and political will to make changes in their laws," Dex Kotze, one of the march organisers, said.
"We have to do this for our future generations," he said.
"The youth today is making a statement globally in 136 cities that it's their heritage that is being killed."
From 27 million elephants 350 years ago, Africa now had about 400,000 left, and about 9 per cent of those were being killed each year, Kotze said.
South Africa, home to the world's largest rhino populations, has seen at least 700 killed so far this year.
Poaching of the rare African animal is increasing to meet demand from Asian countries, where the horn has long been used in traditional medicines for a variety of ailments, including fever and rheumatism, and as aphrodisiacs.
More than 35,000 elephants are killed across Africa each year for their tusks, which are prized, especially in China, for use in making decorations and trinkets.
Kotze said the protests meant to highlight the so-called "gang of 19" countries listed by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) as not doing enough to curb trafficking.
Among the countries under scrutiny are China, Vietnam, Laos, Mozambique, Angola and Kenya.
"These countries need to change their laws," Kotze said, singling out China, which he said must shut its 37 ivory carving factories and 130 retail outlets, or "we will lose all the elephants".
In the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, several hundred people turned out to make their voices heard. Kotze said that wildlife crime was worth an estimated US$20 billion a year and that "terrorist groups such as al-Shabab were using ivory trafficking and exchange ivory for weapons".
 


Global March for Elephants and Rhinos attracts thousands to cause

A rhino poster displayed at the Kenyan leg of the march. Photo: EPA

News

World

Thousands have marched in Africa and around the world to pressure governments to stop the poaching industry that many fear is driving rhinos and elephants to the brink of extinction.
