To: The California State House

Save the elephants. Ban the sale of ivory in California!

Gov. Jerry Brown: California is the second largest market for ivory in the U.S.
Enforce a complete ban on the commercial sale of African elephant ivory in California.

Why is this important?

The elephant poaching crisis reached its peak last year with about 30,000 of these amazing animals slaughtered for solely their tusks.* ­­ With an estimated 96 elephants murdered for their tusks every day, taking all ivory off the market may be our last shot at stopping the killings.**

California is the second-largest market for ivory in the U.S., after New York, with major hubs in San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to a 2008 study from Care for the Wild International.*** New York and New Jersey have already taken steps recently to tighten restrictions on the sale of ivory, and now it’s time for California to take a stand and enforce a complete ban on the commercial sale of ivory. A complete ban on the commercial sale of ivory is the best way to help ensure that U.S. markets do not to the further decline of African elephants in the wild. **** It’s up to the Gov. Jerry Brown to propose legislation that would step up enforcement, increase penalties for violations and close legal loopholes.

Therefore, we, the undersigned, respectfully request that the State of California Gov. Jerry Brown and the California State Assembly work to enforce a complete ban on the commercial sale of African elephant ivory in California, before it's too late for the majestic African elephant species.

Sources:
1. U.S. Limits Ivory Sales! by Emily Pepper, NRDC 2/11/14 http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/epepper/us_limits_ivory_sales.html
2. No wild elephants by 2025? by Ivory for Elephants 2/7/14 : http://ivoryforelephants.org/wild-elephants-2025/
3. States are eyeing stiffer ivory laws amid a surge in elephant poaching by MARIANNE LEVINE, LA Times 9/2/14: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ivory-bans-20140902-story.html
4. Saving the Elephants? State Bans on Ivory Trade Gather Steam by GIL AEGERTER, NBC News 9/8/14 : http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/saving-elephants-state-bans-ivory-trade-gather-steam-n179121