Elephant poaching: 'Record year' for ivory seizures

[ via BBC Africa ] 30 Dec

More elephant tusks were seized in 2011 than in any year since 1989, when the ivory trade was banned, international wildlife trade group Traffic says.

The group said elephants have had a "horrible year", with 23 tonnes of ivory seized - representing at least 2,500 dead animals.

It may be added that trade in ivory was banned in 1989 to save elephants from extinction.

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Elephants are back in Thailand

Full Story: Huffington Post

Authorities have reopened a major elephant park in Ayutthaya, Thailand, hoping to show tourists the country is beginning to return to normal following historic floods that have left more than 550 people dead nationwide.

Ayutthaya Elephant Tour (Photo: Thailand Magic)

The park is famous for offering tourists elephant rides through the ancient temple ruins that dot the city, a UNESCO World Heritage site 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Bangkok. The camp closed when the city began to flood and 98 elephants were stranded on a small space of dry land where they lived on donated fruit and vegetables.

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