What can be done?
China has developed numerous ways to destroy the hunt for ivory. However, these ways have not been physically and strictly enforced. The United States, the second biggest consumer of ivory, has destroyed over 6 tons of ivory in hopes to get a message across. Kenya has recently set over 105 tons of Ivory ablaze to send a brutal message that the trade should be banned. Something like this is what China should be participating in especially because it inhabits one of the strongest economies in the world along with the largest population of people. The value of one action, such as Kenya’s, can influence so many people. Additionally, the United States has recently deemed animal abuse as a felony, meaning that it will be treated as a serious crime closely related to murder. However, according to this (Penal Code 596-597), it states, “Exceptions are made for hunting, farming, and research.” This is the last sentence in the statement that basically says it’s fine to abuse a cow in a factory farm or a chicken to weight twice its weight. This is a firm result of lobbyists in the food industry funding strong government influences that support these laws. The world in all has not done enough to protect wildlife and domestic animals. I believe the strongest ways to get a message across is through strong actions like setting 100 tons, possibly over 1.5 million dollars worth of ivory on fire. This will really get societies attention. Once a communist country, China is currently transitioning into a capitalistic economy that allows more freedom for it’s citizens. This is a reason why it’s hard for China to abide by laws such as animal cruelty. We are slowly but surely beginning to tilt heads about animal abuse in every society. With the help of social media and influencing actions, the end of animal abuse altogether should be near. With more and more influence, more and more people will acknowledge it and ultimately spread awareness.
justice for africa's wildlife 