Losing Control?

Only two American animal-protection organizations — African Wildlife and Wildlife Conservation International — actively were involved in saving the African elephant, with operatives in Washington, D.C., lobbying against the sale of ivory and folks in the bush trying to scare off poachers.

Yet a legion of crassly dishonest animal-protection and conservation organizations sent out mailings pleading for money to save the elephants. None of the money went to the elephants (or their defense); rather, groups used the money to make mailings to raise money to make mailings ad infinitum.