The Cost Of A Trinket

I listened and watched with horror recently at the story of a family of elephants that had been killed in Africa for their tusks. It filled me with such sadness, horror and thought how anyone could kill these wonderful animals just so their tusks could be used to make trinkets and other ivory carvings. 
Why is it in this day and age people feel the need to destroy such a wonderful creature to make an ornament. 
I for one would not want to see the elephant disappear from this earth forever. This is likely to happen as the elephant population declines because of the destructive action of poachers.

I know some people  object to these and other  animal being in zoo`s and caged but at least they are safe from the harm these selfish poachers and ivory traders do. Breeding programmes in zoo`s are more essential than ever these days. 

What you have to remember the animals bred in captivity do not know any different. They are born and bred behind the walls of their enclosure oblivious to the outside world and their natural environment. As long as the enclosures give these animals the space they need and the enclosures are as near to the natural habitat as possible I do not see what harm this is doing. Like I say at least they are safe and whilst breeding we are not going to lose them completely  from this earth.   

Visiting Chester Zoo and West Midlands Safari Park I love to watch the elephants. These creatures amaze me I could watch them for hours. I want my grandchildren and great grandchildren  to be able to do the same not have to read about them in story books and look at pictures because they are extinct. 

The ivory trade needs to be stopped now to protect the Elephants in the wild. A ivory tusk may be a big money spinning business in many parts of the world but at what cost.
The cost of an Elephants life and them disappearing from the wild forever. 

Below is a BBC link to the news story about the elephants and ivory trade. I can not watch it all as it upsets me to much.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-20961065