NEW YORK — A ton of confiscated ivory will be crushed in Times Square this week to draw attention to elephant poaching and wildlife trafficking.
The U.S. Department of the Interior, the Wildlife Conservation Society and New York’s state environmental department are among the participants in Friday’s event.
The Wildlife Conservation Society says elephant poaching is at its highest level in decades and is causing significant declines in the population.
It says rhinos and other species are also at risk.
The society’s CEO, Cristian Samper says the symbolism highlights an effort to crush “the bloody ivory market” and let poachers know that they won’t profit by slaughtering the “majestic” creatures.
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