Photo of ‘Vargas herd’ elephants in the Rose Bowl parade. From the Buckles Blog.

There’s a piece in the Guardian about the massive slaughter of African elephants to feed a seemingly insatiable ivory export market in East Asia (but also in the West…). The story quotes Jane Goodall, who is advocating for a worldwide ban on ivory sales, as the population of wild elephants plummets from poaching, and tusks are smuggled in containers of floor tiles, sacks of dried fish, and diplomatic pouches.
Goodall is coming to DePauw University to speak this coming Spring; it will be a fantastic opportunity for our students to meet someone on the front lines of research and conservation for over 50 years. She will also be in Pasadena on New Year’s Day as Grand Marshal of the 124th Tournament of Roses. That’s where this story gets curious. Continue reading →