Senate debates

Thursday, 10 August 2017

Motions

World Elephant Day

11:57 am

Photo of Skye Kakoschke-MooreSkye Kakoschke-Moore (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) 12 August 2017 is World Elephant Day,

(ii) World Elephant Day was launched in 2012 to bring attention to the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants,

(iii) the escalation of poaching, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity threaten both African and Asian elephants,

(iv) there are fewer than 40 000 Asian elephants left in the wild,

(v) according to the Great Elephant Census, African Savanna elephant populations declined by 30 per cent (equal to 144 000 elephants) between 2007 and 2014,

(vi) the current annual rate of decline is 8 per cent or about 27 000 elephants die each year, primarily due to poaching,

(vii) Australia is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,

(viii) the Australian Government supports the efforts of other nations to protect their wildlife, by implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; and

(b) recognises that Australians should #BeElephantEthical by experiencing elephants in non-exploitative and sustainable environments where elephants can thrive under care and protection.

Question agreed to.