Oakland Zoo Praises California Assembly for Passing Ivory Ban
Oakland, CA (PRWEB) June 12, 2015 -- Oakland Zoo and the 96 Elephants campaign praise the California Assembly for passing AB 96, state legislation that would ban the sale of ivory and rhinoceros horn in the state of California. The bill received a final vote of 62-14 on June 2, 2015. More about the bill and vote can be found in this article posted by the Associated Press: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/jun/02/california-moves-to-tighten-ban-on-importing/
According to research by 96 Elephants.org, California is the second largest hub for ivory sales in the United States and ivory sales support the slaughter of elephants thousands of miles away in Africa. The Assembly has shown tremendous leadership by addressing this crucial issue.
“Oakland Zoo commends Speaker Atkins and the Assembly for moving AB 96 forward,” said Dr. Parrott, President and CEO of Oakland Zoo. “This is a critical time for elephants and their survival, and as a progressive state we cannot contribute to their extinction. As a conservation organization focused on educating our visitors about the crisis, we'd like to thank those of you that took action with us on behalf of all elephants and rhinos to support a ban on the legal sales of Ivory and rhino horn in California.”
Oakland Zoo and the 96 Elephants collation urge continued support of AB 96, and we will continue working with lawmakers as the bill moves to the California Senate, then on to Governor Brown whom we urge to sign AB 96 into law. Californians have an opportunity to show support of this critical issue. By banning the sale of all elephant ivory and ivory products, California can raise consumer awareness, reduce poaching pressures on elephants, and set a critical example for other countries. Please, Californians, ask your state lawmakers to support AB96. This bill is named for the 96 elephants killed each day in the name of ivory. Help pass legislation to ban ivory sales in our State, go to the below link and sign the letter: https://secure3.convio.net/wcs/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=687
The goal of 96 Elephants – named after the number of elephants gunned down each day in Africa by poachers – is to stop the killing, stop the trafficking and stop the demand. Banning the sale of ivory is a key step toward stopping the demand, and California is poised to play a direct role in saving elephants from the ravages of the illegal wildlife trade.
Oakland Zoo would like to thank our fellow bill sponsors Humane Society of the United States, Natural Resources Defense Council, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the California Association of Zoos and Aquariums and its dedicated members for their hard work in supporting Assembly passage of AB 96.
ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO:
The Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is home to more than 660 native and exotic animals. The Zoo offers many educational programs and kid’s activities perfect for science field trips, family day trips and exciting birthday parties. Nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park, the Zoo is located at 9777 Golf Links Road, off Highway 580. The East Bay Zoological Society (Oakland Zoo) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization supported in part by members, contributions, the City of Oakland and the East Bay Regional Parks. For more information please visit our website at http://www.oaklandzoo.org.
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Contact: Nicky Mora, Senior Marketing Manager/PR
(510) 632-9525 ext. 130
nmora(at)oaklandzoo(dot)org
Nicky Mora, Senior Manager, PR, Oakland Zoo, http://www.oaklandzoo.org, (510) 632-9525 Ext: 130, [email protected]
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