FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Global Conservationist Jim Justus Nyamu Launches Historic 3,700-Mile U.S. Walk for Elephant Protection.
OAKLAND, CA — August 15, 2026 — Marking World Elephant Day 2026, renowned Kenyan conservationist Jim Justus Nyamu officially commenced the 20th edition of his "Ivory Belongs to Elephants" campaign with a successful launch at the Oakland Zoo in California.
Addressing fellow conservationists under this year's global theme, “Bringing the world together to help elephants,” Nyamu highlighted the critical threats facing African elephants, including habitat loss, rampant poaching, and climate change. As a vital keystone species, elephants are foundational to their ecosystems; Nyamu emphasized that conserving elephants is essential to protecting all surrounding wildlife and their natural habitats.
Following his address, Oakland Zoo Chief Executive Director Nik Dehejia, alongside board members, staff, and international conservation allies, officially flagged off Nyamu for his ambitious 150-day awareness campaign walk across the United States. The 3,700-mile journey will traverse diverse eco-climatical regions, passing through Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, before concluding in New York.
The primary objective of this historic walk is to mobilize global diplomatic and financial support for the 29 African Elephant Range States (AERS). These nations face shared crises in wildlife management, underscored by severe funding shortages for local wildlife agencies. This campaign serves as an urgent international appeal to protect the remaining 415,000 elephants left on the African continent.
Key Policy Recommendations for the United States Government
To ensure the survival of African elephants for the next century, Nyamu is presenting a strategic framework outlining seven key actions for the U.S. government:
- Completely Close the U.S. Domestic Market: Eliminate remaining commercial loopholes, tighten documentation mandates for antiques, and aggressively prosecute illegal ivory trade.
- Lead Global Diplomatic Bans: Partner with major transit and consumer nations—such as China, Vietnam, and Thailand—to permanently shut down legal domestic ivory markets and standardize international legal penalties.
- Target High-Level Trafficking Networks: Pivot enforcement focus from local poachers to international syndicates by investing in intelligence, cross-border financial investigations, DNA/forensic analysis, and customs oversight.
- Deploy U.S. Technology Along Transit Routes: Provide African and Asian customs agencies with advanced risk-based container screening, data analysis tools, and canine units to intercept massive ivory shipments still moving through global transit hubs.
- Expand Direct Conservation Funding: Increase financial resources for African ranger programs, protected sanctuaries, community-led conservation, and human-elephant conflict mitigation. The U.S. African Elephant Conservation Fund’s FY2024 allocation of $8 million represents a vital foundation that must be expanded.
- Aggressively Reduce Consumer Demand: Subsidize long-term public awareness campaigns in key ivory-consuming countries to stigmatize ivory ownership and expose its direct ties to international organized crime.
- Utilize Trade and Diplomatic Leverage: Enforce diplomatic pressure and targeted trade restrictions against nations that consistently fail to meet their CITES obligations, building on current U.S. import verification successes.
To follow Jim Justus Nyamu
Instagram : Jim Justus
Facebook: Jim Justus Nyamu
X; @NyamuJim
Whatsup +254 723 398 190
