The Ivory War

Scott Pelley On The Challenging War On Elephant Poachers

(CBS)  Asked how much ivory has been seized, Milliken tells Pelley, "Well, last year, for example, in 2006, more than 25 tons of ivory was seized, according to our data."

"If the international trade in ivory was banned in 1989, why is it a problem again?" Pelley asks.

"Well, since the mid-1990s, the sleeping demand of China has awakened. And with 1.3 billion consumers, we’ve had an escalating trend in illegal trade in ivory ever since," Milliken explains.

Chinese consumers have more money than ever and ivory is a status symbol. Elephant tusks are being carved into everything from chop sticks to fine art.

"We have evidence of Chinese nationals implicated in ivory seizures or actually arrested in connection with ivory seizures in 22 of the 37 African elephant range states. The scale of illegal trade in ivory which directly implicates China has never been greater," Milliken says.

Milliken says China is trying harder. But illegal ivory is still sold in the open. And at the border, stopping it is like stopping drugs coming into the U.S.

When 60 Minutes arrived in Chad, we wondered if we were too late. We expected to see great herds. But we spotted only a few bulls which travel alone or in twos and threes.

Turns out, it's not so easy to find a few hundred elephants hiding in plain sight. Mike Fay searched by air for days. On the ground, the 60 Minutes team followed their trail. But elephant tracks in the mud are the worst potholes you can imagine.

After a week of this search, a major storm closed in on Fay's plane. At the last minute, he spotted what’s rare even in Africa. "We've got about a hundred elephants here. One hundred elephants. And I’m gonna give you a position: 10 degrees, 58 minutes, 11 seconds. And 19 degrees, 51 minutes, zero one seconds," Fay radioed.

"We'll head to that coordinate and we'll contact you when we arrive," Pelley radioed back.

Fay landed ahead of the storm, and the 60 Minutes team ducked under it. A short time later, the rains cleared and we found them

There were more elephants than Fay had estimated -- when elephants huddle in herds this large, it's because they understand there's danger near.

"It's an astonishing sight to be nearly surrounded by this many elephants…there’s about 200 of them. Most of them are gonna be females because they are leading the baby elephants through this forage. There are some elephants that I would take to be under two years old, maybe one-year-old and they are arrayed all around us," Pelley said, standing near the herd.

At sunset, the herd was about to move on.

The old matriarch was leading her elephants out of the protective boundaries of the refuge and into the wider savannah now turning green under the rains. The poachers know these seasons too and they're waiting.

[sharelcubed]

I completely agree - follow up segments on this story would be very effective in moving people to action and preventing this crisis from disappearing off the radar. Save-the-Elephants.org is also engaged in this battle and we need to do what we can to draw attention to the brave efforts of such organizations.

[kellyacci-2009]

I too, donate to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Fund for The Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya and adopt these wonderful elephants.I have also donated to the de-snaring fund and the Tennessee Sanctuary as well
as many other animal groups. The segment on the Ivory War was hard to watch and eye opening to many people,I''m sure.More segments should be shown, as a
CONSTANT follow - up and ways in which we can help stop this poaching problem.I cannot emphasize how important it is to present such a tragedy and NOT include a way to help.
Another potential segment should be an expose` about
China, they eat ANYTHING that moves, whether it be slaughter of dolphins,whales or endangered species.
They affect the precious wildlife all over the world.
They take MORE than their share.It''s selfish and heartbreaking. Can we follow up PLEASE?

[resu279]

The 60 minutes expose regarding Ivory Wars sickened my heart. What a discouraging display of human greed and heartless behavior. I would have appreciated at least a hint of what what can be done to stop this outrageous waste of truly precious life.
Sandra B.

[sharelcubed]

My sister & I were sickened by this heartwrenching story - these beautiful elephants are one more species to add to the list of "soon to be extinct in the wild" (joining orangutans, mountain gorillas, polar bears....) I agree - the story should have concluded with contact information so that viewers could forward funds and raise awareness. There are many ways to fight this battle short-term and long-term and those who care should be able to rally together. If anyone knows how we can directly support the group of rangers patrolling Zakouma, please advise - it''s tragic that these brave men are also losing their lives in this conflict. Until then, we will send funds to the Wildlife Conservation Society and hope these small steps can make a difference.

[janah3]

It struck me as incredibly ironic to juxtapose this tragic story of the African elephants with the one about the megamillion dollar toys of megaego Tom Perkins. With a fraction of the money Tom Perkins spent on his "sailing yacht", or his sports car collection, he could end the impoverishment that gives poor Africans a rationale for slaughtering elephants because they need the money to feed their families. What kind of world do we live in when one person can spend close to $300,000 million on a totally unnecessary "toy" just to feed his ego! And he even mentioned that his money could be put to better uses. The elephants are a tragic example of what is happening all over the globe as human greed destroys, in one way or another, the future of many species. Some say we are in a period of a 6th great extinction. It would be heartening if some of these people with megamillions would spend that money to do some good in the world (at least some of them "get it" i.e. Bill Gates).
I agree, in the case of the new ivory trade, boycott all chinese made goods in protest and in protest of the trash china is dumping on the rest of the world!!!

[barbarajable]

How can you show such a travesty without giving the viewer an outlet to help stop this! My husband made me leave the room because I had seen previews and wanted to watch. I give money to the David Shedrick Wildlife (Elephant) Sanctuary, the Elphant Sanctuary in Tennessee and many other animal groups. I am appalled that not one group has informed me of this or tried to stop it. I asked my husband if the segment had a happy ending and he said no. I work for a large company that is putting ALL it''s future investment in China. I do not want to invest in a country with no regards for animals. I have already seen what they do to cats and dogs. How about a story to explain how their outlook on life is formed and why is it so different from my own? I will continue my search to find a way to help these elephants.

[kadwell-2009]

I agree - really disturbing. Is there no limit to what people will do? Reducing demand is the best way to stop the slaughter. In lieu of that, does anyone know of the best nonprofit to support to help fight this problem? Any out there that directly support the rangers attempting to defend the elephants?

[mosesthedog]

Next time some Chicago school economist tells you capitalism is optimal, tell him I would gladly trade 1,000 economists of his ilk for one free range elephant, and it would still be a poor bargain.

If poachers are successfully being kept at bay elsewhere in Africa, why aren''t their methods being transferred to Chad? If China thinks people aren''t going to link the demise of the elephant to its people, they are sadly mistaken. China will never live this down if it continues to fuel this disaster.

[somo88]

As though the slaughter of innocent people in Dafur and the suffering of refugees in Chad is not enough, Scott perry highlights the wasteful slaughter of the great African Elephants. What a waste it is to kill an Animal almost weighing a tonn for a less than 50 pound ivory, What a Waste? This problem will not go away unless there is the education of Africans to protect their natural resources not only from poachers but also from the vanity of the outsiders.

[mistered45]

Scott Pelly''s compelling report on the slaughter of elephants for the blatant consumption of ivory by our "friends" in Asia is very disturbing. With China at the source of countless recalls (toys to tires) isn''t it time for the American people to boycott products produced in that country? It seems that the "savings" companies are realizing by off-shore production are eaten up by these recalls. Wouldn''t it be better to keep the jobs in the USA, keep the wages in the USA and let American citizens spend their money on products and services made in the USA???