14 DAY TRIAL // By now, it should be common knowledge that Leonardo DiCaprio is very much interested in putting an end to poaching activities and to the illegal wildlife trade.
Recent news concerning the actor's commitment to promoting conservation says that the celebrity has decided to offer his full support to the World Wildlife Fund's latest green-oriented campaign: “Hands Off My Parts.”
Thus, said organization has set up an online petition asking high officials in Thailand to put an end to the ivory trade now up and running in this part of the world.
In order to get their message across, the World Wildlife Fund needs to have this petition signed by as many ordinary folks as possible.
Apparently, this is where Leonardo DiCaprio steps in. More precisely, the actor has recently written an email explaining why it is that Thailand’s elephants must be protected against poachers.
Furthermore, he urged that people do not delay in signing said petition.
According to Ecorazzi, DiCaprio's email read as follows: “Illegal wildlife trade is the most urgent threat facing species like tigers, rhinos and elephants. These animals are being killed every day to feed an escalating demand for their body parts. Whole populations are at risk of being wiped out if we don’t take immediate action to shut down this illicit trade.”
“As a key step, I am joining WWF and others calling on Thailand’s government to show leadership on elephant conservation by shutting down its ivory market before the country hosts a meeting of 177 nations on wildlife trade in March 2013,” the actor went on to add.
The World Wildlife Fund maintains that countless elephants are killed in Thailand on a yearly basis, simply because the country's ongoing legislation still allows for ivory to be harvested from domesticated specimens.
However, poaches often kill wild elephants, and later on maintain that they got the ivory from domestic ones.
“Exploiting a legal loophole that permits the sale of ivory from Thailand’s domesticated elephants, criminals are getting away with selling massive amounts of illegally poached African ivory alongside legal ivory in the country,” the organization explains.
Those wishing to sign this petition can do so here.