Parody Video Slams "Antiques Roadshow" For Appraising Ivory

Last November, the US government crushed nearly 6 tons of confiscated ivory, a powerful gesture to stand in solidarity against the trafficking of illicit wildlife parts that leads to the death of thousands of elephants annually. But on publicly funded airwaves, ivory products continue to be linked more with cold hard cash than the animals that paid their lives for it.

By whom? Well, none other than the sleepy PBS program Antiques Roadshow.

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The Wildlife Conservation Society's 96 Elephants campaign, a reference to the number of the animals killed daily in Africa, has just released a scathing parody video urging "Antiques Roadshow" to stop appraising ivory products -- pointing out the real cost of such ill-gained items.

"Thirty-five thousand elephants were slaughtered last year due to the demand for ivory. We know that the legal trade has a confusing set of loopholes that allows the black market trade to thrive," says John Calvelli, director of 96 Elephants.

"We believe that Antiques Roadshow has a moral obligation to do the right thing and halt ivory appraisals while this crisis rages on."