**NEWS FROM WCS**

CONTACT: STEPHEN SAUTNER: (1-718-220-3682; ssautner@wcs.org

JOHN DELANEY: (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)

Watch The Video

TERMINATOR TERMINATES TUSK ON VIDEO

• Arnold Schwarzenegger, in support of 96 Elephants Campaign, blows up ivory tusk
• Video supports new effort to protect proposed federal ivory ban, currently under fire by opponents
• New “ivory rider,” would gut proposed regulations
• 96 Elephants are killed every day in Africa

NEW YORK (November 13, 2015) – Watch out ivory poachers – now you got The Terminator mad. WCS’s 96 Elephants campaign has received a powerful new ally: Arnold Schwarzenegger, who recently blew up an ivory tusk on camera in support of efforts to protect elephants from the ravages of poaching.

“Stop killing 96 elephants every day just because of this ivory. Let’s get rid of the demand once and for all,” says Schwarzenegger in the video.  Moments later, the tusk explodes into thousands of ivory fragments.

Schwarzenegger’s efforts come not a moment too soon.  A dangerous policy rider has been proposed in the House Interior Appropriations Bill that would undermine efforts by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to curtail the illegal trade of ivory in the United States.

The language would roll back FWS efforts to tighten existing regulations on African elephant ivory to the system that existed prior to 2014, ensuring that poached ivory can still be easily sold in U.S. markets after it sneaks through the border. In addition, the language would undermine U.S. diplomatic progress made with China, which represents the best chance for saving African elephants in the wild.

Said John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Director of WCS’s 96 Elephants Campaign: “Ivory poachers beware – The Terminator has now joined the herd of 96 Elephants supporters.  We are extremely grateful Arnold Schwarzenegger has joined the 96 Elephants campaign, and we are hopeful that his global following of fans will become allies to stop the killing, stop the trafficking and stop the demand of ivory.”  

The public can take action on the ivory rider by going here.

This year eight countries: China, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, and the U.S. have publicly destroyed more than 42 tons of illegal ivory.  The tusk blown up by Schwarzenegger was donated by the Los Angeles Zoo – a 96 Elephants partner.

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WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)

MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in nearly 60 nations and in all the world’s oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: newsroom.wcs.org Follow: @WCSNewsroom. For more information: 347-840-1242.

96 Elephants
WCS is leading global efforts to save Africa’s elephants and end the current poaching and ivory trafficking crisis. In September, WCS launched its 96 Elephants campaign to amplify and support the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) “Partnership to Save Africa’s Elephants” by stopping the killing, stopping the trafficking, and stopping the demand. The WCS campaign focuses on: securing effective moratoria on sales of ivory; bolstering elephant protection; and educating the public about the link between ivory consumption and the elephant poaching crisis. www.96elephants.org