African elephant advocates march down Nassau Street Oct. 6, 2013.
Elephant advocates marched through Princeton to raise awareness about the species’ looming extinction.
The Princeton procession was one of 42 global marches to save African elephants from extinction. Advocates are calling for an international ban on Ivory.
In 2012, poachers killed 36,000 elephants for their tusks.
The international March for Elephants crossed three continents cities in Europe, Africa and North America.
Princeton march organizer Marianne Romano said about 100 people participated in the demonstration, either by doing yoga, marching or taking part in a drum circle.
During the event, Princeton University professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, Andy Dobson, spoke about the illegal Ivory trade.
“The tragic link is that the illegal ivory trade is known to fund terrorist groups linked with other illicit activities such as drugs and arms and human trafficking,” Dobson said in his speech. “Plants and other animals unique to the African wilderness are dependent on elephants for survival, from spreading seeds to sculpting habitats which are essential to the long-term survival of both grazing and browsing species. The extinction of wild elephants will have severe repercussions on entire ecosystems.”
Hopewell Valley Community Bank, where Romano serves as assistant secretary and market developer sponsored Princeton’s March for Elephants. Through the end of October, the bank plans to make a donation to ab elephant sanctuary in Tennessee for every new Liberty Checking Account that is opened.
Additionally, photography by artist Miriam Seidan, which inspired the Elephant March, is scheduled to be on display until Nov. 15 at the bank’s Princeton branch located at 11 State road and Route 206.
More information is online at marchforelephants.org.
