Press Release

Deep River and the African Elephant

In 2011, 25,000 African elephants were slaughtered by poachers supplying illegal ivory traders and more were decimated last year. A study from the Wildlife Conservation Society shows that 60 percent of all African forest elephants have been killed in the last decade for their ivory, leaving about 80,000 in their primary habitats in Western and Central Africa.

Though we are half a world away, the town of Deep River has a long history with the African elephant, as well as a strong connection to these gentle giants, and growing concern about their continued welfare and survival in their natural habitat.

For this reason the Deep River Historical Society and the Deep River Rotary Club will be presenting a special two-day program on Saturday, November 9th at 7 pm at the Deep River Town Hall, followed on Sunday, November 10th at 2 pm with a screening of the National Geographic film: ?Battle for the Elephants? and an exhibit at 3:15 pm at the Society?s Carriage House chronicling both Deep River?s and Ivoryton?s history with the elephant including memorabilia from our collection of Ivory artifacts. Awards for the elephant program student art and history projects will be presented by Dr. Ruth Levy, Superintendent of Valley Regional Schools and Lorraine Penzara-Griswold, President of Deep River Rotary Club. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Save the Elephant Foundation in Kenya whose mission is ?to secure a future for elephants and sustain the beauty and ecological integrity of the places they live, to promote man?s delight in their intelligence and the diversity of their world, and to develop a tolerant relationship between the two species.?

Our Friday speakers will include:

Dan Ashe, Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

Brenda Milkovsky, former founding Director of the Connecticut River Museum

Joe Courtney, US Congressman CT, Second Congressional District

Mark your calendars for this important event!

Contact:

Charlotte Lazor

(860) 526-5979

clazor@wesleyan.edu