Feds to host ‘ivory crush’ in New York City

Obama administration officials will host a public event in New York City to destroy one ton of ivory in an effort to discourage ivory traffickers.

The Friday event in tourist-heavy Times Square will be the second ivory crush event hosted by the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which is responsible for enforcing laws against the sale and possession of ivory, the tusk of elephants, rhinos and other animals.

{mosads}Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who oversees the FWS, will attend the event, along with FWS Director Dan Ashe, Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske and other local and state leaders.

“The event calls awareness to a growing poaching crisis that is rapidly pushing populations of African elephants, rhinos and other species towards extinction,” the FWS said in a statement.

“Crushing our ivory sends a message to ivory traffickers and their customers that the United States will not tolerate this illegal trade,” it said. “This crush will also educate consumers, in the United States and around the world, and urge them not to buy products made with ivory that could be contributing to the poaching crisis.”

The event will feature an industrial rock crusher that will pulverize one ton of illegally traded ivory that officials have seized.

The Obama administration has come under fire recently for trying to crack down further on ivory.

Gun rights advocates and musicians have accused regulators of trying to take away antique equipment that was produced before elephant poaching was outlawed in 1976.