"Elephants need their ivory, we don't." Christian singer Jay Chou says in an open video for public welfare released on Aug. 31, appealing to the audiences to say no to ivories and tell their friends and families to be ivory-free.
Published by Wild Aid whose mission is to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes, the video shows that because they can be replaced with something else, the trade of ivory continues relentlessly. When people covet ivory, 33000 elephants are killed every year.
"When the buying stops, the killing can too." The singer encouraged.
He also reminds the viewer; "If they tell you that it's (shark fin soup) not harming shark populations, don't buy it. If they tell you it doesn't contain mercury that can hurt you, fabulously don't buy it. For your health, for sharks and for the oceans, please say no to shark fin soups!"
Chou continues to talk about rhinoceros: Once the biggest buyer of rhino horn, Taiwan realized that it was wrong and stopped it, and the poaching did too. In 2009, Vietnam emerged as the new market and the poaching increased again. "So please don't put shame on your country...never buy rhino horn...when the buying stops, the killing can too."
In the end of the clip, he mentions that many people eat pangolins, which is dangerous because of the serious risks of picking up parasites or catching diseases. And if the scales used for medicine are keratin, just like finger nails, the animal becomes endangered. "Never eat pangolins or use their scales...When the buying stops, the killing can too." He concludes.
