Boots on the Ground for Elephants: An Ivory Belongs to Elephants Story

The fight to save our remaining elephants has come to the US. Just days before 1 ton of ivory was seized in New York (story below), Jim Justus Nyamu arrived in the US from his home in Kenya to walk with volunteers 560 miles from Massachusetts to Washington DC, finishing his lecture and educational tour at the International March for Elephants on October 4, 2013 in DC. He is proof that boots on the ground, hard work, and dedication starts with a single voice that is growing into song.

Not only is Jim speaking at several colleges and events in his Ivory Belongs to Elephants campaign. he even set up shop at a local market in Pennsylvania to educate shoppers about the critical need to save our wild elephants that are being poached to extinction.  

Jim is co-founder of the Elephant Neighbours Center  located in Kenya. Through his vast knowledge and experience in the field, he has a 15-year history of educating the public, students, and top officials on the world stage about conservation and what he believes is the true fuel behind the poaching fire. Jim told me that poaching pays a high wage for the residents in impoverished communities in countries across Africa. He explained that these communities need education and funds to learn about and work in the conservation industry, a sorely needed effort on the continent of Africa. It would seem as if the people who live with the elephants would view them as majestic beings and know exactly how and why elephants need protection. Not the case, says Jim. A global effort is required to stop elephants from becoming extinct in as little as 10 years.

As important, Jim indicated that elephants can be destructive to crops. Human-elephant conflict has been a problem without a solid solution for centuries. Jim teaches about ways to improve relations between farmers and the herds of elephants that also enjoy the fruits of human labor. He proposes solutions and teaches the masses the truth, the demand for action, and the hope that the safety and security of the elephants are secured.

Jim Nyamu calls Americans into action through his campaign that spans an entire month from September 3- October 4, 2013. He has quite the task in forming public opinion. We Americans are so far away from the elephant crisis that we easily forget that their ancestors roamed our lands and been on this earth for 50 million years.

Join this leader, grass roots educator, representative of the elephants through a contribution, fundraiser, your own walk, or on his walk by visiting: http://ivorybelongstoelephantswalk.com/. Visit the Facebook Page. For media inquiries contact: jenpoetess@aol.com or Jim Nyamu directly.