Intelligent people everywhere are completely outraged by the Trump Administration’s latest destructive decision to reverse the Obama Administration’s ban on the import of elephant “trophies” from Zambia and Zimbabwe and lion pelts and other animal remains from so-called “trophy hunts.” Trump’s sons have been deservedly publicly shamed for their ignorant participation in trophy hunts in Africa, causing one to wonder if this attack on conservation has a personal interest at hand.


Many celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Pamela Anderson, Ricky Gervais, Shannon Doherty, Olivia Munn, and Ellen DeGeneres have spoken out against this decision. DeGeneres is taking a true philanthropic standpoint and has started a campaign with the hashtag #BeKindtoElephants.

In her show’s opening monologue, DeGeneres takes a serious tone and tells her viewers to stand up for these beautiful, intelligent, and compassionate animals and shows them videos that shine a light on the awe-inspiring capabilities of these great creatures.

In the monologue, DeGeneres states: “I have to talk about something that is very, very important to me…President Trump reversed one of Barack Obama’s policies which prohibited hunters from bringing elephant trophies into the United States. So, basically by lifting this ban, he’s encouraging Americans to kill elephants…Elephants show compassion, sympathy, social intelligence, self-awareness. They’re excellent at learning abilities. All the things I’ve yet to see in this president. Many things I don’t like about this guy, but this got me…I am determined to do something about this. I’m posting this picture on Instagram. If you’re as outraged as I am, please repost it, retweet it with the hashtag #BeKindToElephants. And for everyone who does, we’ll make a donation to The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to help protect elephants…They are worth fighting for and we owe it to them to protect them.”

You can watch the whole speech below:


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In just the past ten years, African Elephant populations have dropped by an alarming 62 percent and conservationists predict they could go extinct by the end of the decade if nothing is done to stop people from hunting them. Trophy hunting is a corrupt industry that brings in $14 million a year in Zimbabwe alone. It has been proven that elephants and lions bring in far more revenue in tourism (like safaris) than in trophy hunts, showing all the more reason why these magnificent animals are worth more alive than dead. Trump’s decision is in no way representative of the American people, as a recent nationwide poll reveals that nine out of ten Americans are against trophy hunting.

Elephants are essential to our planet’s biodiversity, and the world cannot afford to wait; we must act NOW. A petition on Care2 has been written to speak out against Trump’s brash decision to permit the murder of endangered species.


PLEASE take a moment to sign this petition and share it with others to further garner support for our world’s elephants, lions, and other imperiled wildlife, and be sure to join Ellen’s campaign to raise awareness by using the #BeKindToElephants hashtag on social media!

Image source: The Ellen Show/YouTube