They dumped these elephants' mangled, rotting corpses in a riverbed

Elephant Skin Is Being Used for Jewelry All Over the World. We Must Stop the Poaching and Mutilation of These Precious Animals! Sign Now Dear friends, The smell was what villagers in southwestern Myanmar noticed first. The horrible, putrid odor was only getting worse, so a group of people went to investigate. What they found was more horrible than they'd expected. More than two dozen mangled and rotting Asian elephant corpses lay before them, killed and dumped in a riverbed. We don't know who the elephant-murderers were, but we know that they got what they were looking for: flesh. The skin of these emotionally sensitive animals had been stripped from their bodies in large chunks, exposing the muscles underneath. It will presumably be turned into elephant skin jewelry and "medicines," and sold in various markets. Dried out and stretched, the hide is turned into deep red beads. Even worse, no elephant is safe from this business. The poachers kill male, female, and even babies indiscriminately. Only around 40,000-50,000 Asian elephants remain in the world, and scientists have listed their species as endangered. Like their African cousins, Asian elephants are being exterminated by poaching, habitat loss, and general human cruelty. We have to act now before the skinning industry drives these gentle giants to extinction! Fortunately, we can stop the poaching of these irreplaceable, highly intelligent creatures. Anti-poaching squads are already on the ground in Myanmar, working hard to save elephants' lives. But they need more help. That's why we're calling on the United Nations Environmental Programme to establish its own fund to support anti-poaching squads. With their assistance, we can protect the planet's last remaining Asian elephants from being dismembered in grisly, horrific ways for the sake of grotesque jewelry and sham remedies. Please, sign the petition to urge the United Nations to do all they can to save Asian elephants and stop poaching! Thank you for all that you do,   Miranda B. The Care2 Petitions Team P.S. Asian elephants aren't prized for their ivory — instead, they are being slaughtered for their skin. Protect these smart, endangered creatures from being turned into trinkets and jewelry. Sign the petition now!