More than 30,000 elephants are killed every year to
satisfy demand for ivory in China and the Far East
where it is worth more than $2,000 (1,790 euros) a
kilogramme.
The 32 year old actress — who won an Oscar for her
portrayal of the slave girl Patsey in “12 Years a Slave” and
will appear in “Star Wars: Episode VII” later this year — said
on Tuesday her visit to a national park and elephant
orphanage in Kenya had been “life-changing”.
“It was my first time to really have an intimate experience
with elephants. What struck me was how big they are, how
quiet they are,” she said. “It was really a breathtaking
experience.”
The Hollywood star and model has signed up as an
ambassador for conservation organisation WildAid, which
engages celebrities to spread awareness of poaching and
wildlife crime.
Nyong’o said she hoped her involvement would help save
Africa elephants for future generations.
“I really do intend for my children to have that same
experience,” she said.
For Nyong’o, who was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents,
grew up in Kenya and studied in the United States, the visit
was also a homecoming.
“I am proud of my Kenyan heritage, and part of that
heritage is the incredible wildlife haven that is in our care,”
she said, speaking with an American accent in English. “Poaching steals from us all.”
Nyong’o will soon feature in a series of WildAid adverts
aimed at raising awareness of the elephant’s plight.
“It is time to ban sales of ivory worldwide and to consign
the tragedy of the ivory trade to history,” she said. Source: WildAid
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