African elephant (Bob Ingle Photo)
Actor (and Jersey native) Meryl Streep has added her to voice to the chorus urging Gov. Christie to sign a bill banning importation and sale of products made from ivory or rhinoceros horn. Elephants and rhinos are being killed for those parts and shockingly they could become instinct in the wild. “Our state could be the first in the country to enact a ban on the importation and sale of ivory – a product of horrific cruelty to elephants and rhinos, who could very well become extinct within decades if we don’t act now,” said Streep, a native of Summit. “Governor, you have my full support and I hope you usher this critical bill through without delay.” The Senate sponsor of the bill is Ray Lesniak. He said, “With raw ivory selling for approximately $1,500 a pound the black market trade is thriving. An estimated 35,000 elephants are slaughtered in Africa alone. At this rate, elephants will be killed into extinction within 20 years.”
