The Militarization of Poaching & the Slaughter of Elephants

Elephants Dying in Epic Frenzy as Ivory Fuels Wars and Profits -The New York Times 

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” Park officials, scientists and the Congolese authorities now believe that the Ugandan military — one of the Pentagon’s closest partners in Africa — killed the 22 elephants from a helicopter and spirited away more than a million dollars’ worth of ivory”

” Conservation groups say poachers are wiping out tens of thousands of elephants a year, more than at any time in the previous two decades, with the underground ivory trade becoming increasingly militarized.”

“The United States has paid tens of millions of dollars in recent years for fuel and transport services for the Ugandan Army to hunt down Mr. Kony in central Africa, while training Congolese and South Sudanese to help”

** This is not the first time the Ugandan Army has been accused of similar crimes as the LRA. At this alarming rate the Garamba Forrest may never be the same. We can’t help but wonder if our US Tax dollars helped fund the Ugandan helicopter that shot down 22 elephants while it was supposedly on the hunt to #stopKony.