President Obama first official visit to his ancestral land Kenya was marked with lot of happy emotions as Kenyans witnessed for the first time an African American President returning to his ancestral home.The focus on wildlife came as Mr. Obama opened the two-day visit, where he met with his Kenyan counterpart, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, to discuss a wide array of issues, including countering insecurity threat from Al-Shabaab violent affiliate group of Al Qaeda based in Somalia and officially open the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit aimed to promote economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Kenyan wildlife conservationists were represented by Dr Paula Kahumbuof #HandsOffOurElephants where they had a forum with Mr.Obama urging him that for his grandchildren to see Elephants, urgent action need be taken against trafficking and demand for ivory and other wildlife products. Obama pledged stronger measures to end ivory sales in the United States through laws prohibiting ivory trade.

A recent article by , New York Times report that Slaughtering of elephants continues to grow worse as organized criminals get rich from selling elephant tusks and wildlife ivory products .It is estimated that a pound of ivory can fetch upto $USD 1500 .African elephants estimate to 500,000 from several millions a century ago ,being killed at a rate of 30,000 to 35,000 an year with United States being among the world?s largest consumers of wildlife, both legal and illegal.

According to Daniel Ashe, Director Fish and Wildlife Service, "Unregulated domestic trade in elephant ivory has served as a loophole that gives cover for illegal trade .By tightening domestic controls on trade in elephant ivory and allowing only very narrow exceptions, USA aims to close existing avenues that are exploited by traffickers and address ivory trade that poses a threat to elephants in the wild."

The proposed changes would still allow Americans b sell ivory across state lines, but only if it meets the strict criteria of the antiques exemption listed in the Endangered Species Act. The act identifies an antique as an item that is 100 years or older, that is partly or entirely composed of a species listed under the act, and that has not been repaired or modified with any such species after Dec. 27, 1973. It also must have been imported through one of 13 specific antique ports within the United States.

More information on Obama Administration Targets Trade in African Elephant Ivory covered in New York Times article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/world/africa/obama-administration-targets-trade-in-african-elephant-ivory.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/18/opinion/banning-ivory-sales-in-america.ht