谷歌（Google）、脸书（Facebook）、易贝网（eBay）及其他科技行业的领军人物已忍无可忍。他们与新成立的“美国打击野生生物贩运联盟”（U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance）联手，并承诺利用他们的技术保护大象及其他不可替代的物种。

这些因特网巨头在这场行动中有什么贡献呢？在全世界拥有近15亿活跃用户的脸书公司正在探索在社交媒体上进行宣传的可行性，其目的是减少美国对象牙的需求。谷歌公司则协助“美国打击野生生物贩运联盟”推出了几种语言的网页，并与易贝网合作，禁止在网上非法买卖象牙。欧巴马总统在访问肯尼亚期间，于7月31日宣布成立“美国打击野生生物贩运联盟”。该联盟的私营、公营和非营利组织成员将在十月汇聚白宫以确定下一步行动方案。

你可知道非法买卖象牙的害处？

• 伤害社区: 偷猎者对非洲象的无情杀戮，剥夺了靠旅游业为生的人们的可持续生计。
  https://share.america.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/origami-elephants1-300x201.jpg

  (Shutterstock)

• 助长社会不稳定因素: 每年，犯罪网络和武装团伙利用野生生物非法交易所得的大约200亿美元作为其活动经费。
• 危及大象的生存: 对象牙的需求使大象数量急剧下降。自2005年以来，中非的大象数量已经减少了一半以上。

你能做些什么？即使你不是因特网巨头，也能做很多努力。如果你的机构从事保护野生生物的项目，你可以考虑申请一些环保基金的资助【请参见英文网页】。你还可以在10月3至4日就近到参与城市参加在全球范围举行的保护大象和犀牛的游行活动（global march for elephants and rhinos）。

正如奥巴马总统在2014年打击野生生物贩运国家战略（National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking）导言中所阐明的：“保护全世界的标志性动物与整个世界利害攸关。”而一个强大的联盟可以有所作为，其中包括科技巨头和他们的盟友——也包括你自己！

They conquered the Internet. Next up: Elephant poachers.

Every 15 minutes, an African elephant is killed. Its tusks are fashioned into jewelry, or into products like piano keys or even billiard balls.

Google, Facebook, eBay and other tech industry leaders have had enough. They’ve joined the new U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance and pledged their skills to protect elephants and other irreplaceable species.

What do these Internet giants bring to the fight? Facebook, with almost 1.5 billion active users around the world, is exploring social media campaigns to reduce American demand for ivory. Google helped roll out the alliance website in English, Spanish, French, Chinese and Vietnamese, and it works with eBay to stop the online sale of illegal ivory. President Obama announced the formation of the alliance on July 31, during his visit to Kenya. Its private, public and nonprofit members will meet at the White House in October to decide on the next steps.

Did you know? Illegal ivory:

• Hurts communities: Poachers’ relentless killing of African elephants deprives people of sustainable livelihoods in tourism.
  https://share.america.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/origami-elephants1-300x201.jpg

  (Shutterstock)

• Supports instability: Criminal networks and armed groups finance their activities with an estimated $20 billion annually from the illegal wildlife trade.
• Challenges elephants’ survival: Demand for ivory has elephant populations plummeting. Since 2005, Central Africa has lost well over half of its elephants.

What can you do? Plenty, even if you’re not an Internet giant. If your organization conducts wildlife conservation programs, consider applying for a grant from these conservation funds. Or you can take part in a global march for elephants and rhinos on October 3 and 4 in a participating city close to you.

As President Obama wrote in his introduction to the 2014 National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking, “the entire world has a stake in protecting the world’s iconic animals.” But a formidable herd of allies including tech titans and their allies — including you! — can make a difference.