Ivory Belongs To Elephants Walk Week 1

As Jim Justus Nyamu begins his second week of the Ivory Belongs to Elephants Walk, the US government announced good news that the US will destroy 6 tons of illegal ivory. Hopefully this news will energize Jim and supporters who have already walked 131 miles last week through much of Massachusetts and into Rhode Island. Last week, Jim kicked off his walk with the President/CEO of IFAW, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Azzedine Downes. “We are proud supporters of Jim, and hosted a reception for him today at our international headquarters to kick off his walk,” said Downes.

 Jim has been well-received by the local communities he has touched. The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast/Museum and The Captain Stannard House Country Inn graciously offered accommodations to Jim and his companions, offering Jim the opportunity to educate local communities.

Local news media have featured Jim’s Walk, as well. The Herald News featured an article on Jim’s Walk quoting Jim as saying.

“The slaughter of elephants upsets the ecosystem. Nyamu said elephants are the protectors and leaders for other animals. Without elephants, lions, rhinoceros, zebras and hyenas become unsafe.”

 W95 WXTK News Radio also featured a story on The Ivory Belongs to Elephants Walk. And, Capecodonline featured an article on Jim that stated: 

“For one thing, he said, many people in Kenya and elsewhere don't understand the ecological significance of elephants — something he blamed on scientists like himself for not being better educators. Also, he said, most poachers are young men under the age of 30 who are not thinking about long-term consequences, only the money they can earn from selling tusks. Still, Nyamu said, he's been encouraged over the past year because he's been able to convince former poachers to join him in his elephant conservation efforts — evidence that if poachers are given opportunities to earn a living in other ways, they will.”

All of these articles share crucial information, raise awareness, and offer some solutions to end or at least curb the poaching of our remaining elephants. But Jim and the Ivory Belongs to Elephants campaign still need our support for gasoline, lodging, and donations to the campaign. As founder of The Elephant Neighbors Center in Kenya, Jim hopes to raise funds in the US to educate and train local communities in conservation and build relationships between the farmers and elephants.

Jim Justus Nyamu is already walking this week with a visit to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut to speak about conserving African elephants. One step, one mile, one day at a time Jim will connect, raise awareness, and walk on to the next destination in this historic journey to save our elephants that are being poached at a rate of 1 every 15 minutes.