Before I go on Ad nauseam about the growing (and fraught) presence of China in Africa, I highly suggest reading this report on the widespread annihilation of Africa’s elephants (for the purpose of shipping illegal ivory to China’s shores). This echoes, much too closely, China’s voracious appetite for sharks (and the culture’s mistakenly prized shark fin soup)—a practice I have vehemently opposed as a volunteer with and supporter of the organization Shark Savers.

I’ll step off the soap box for now, but expect more on these topics shortly (I’m considering writing a more vocal and in-depth Op-Ed on the subject of China’s consumer culture and how we are all, in part, to blame for it).

For now, read this New York Times article on the link between Africa’s wars and the lucrative China ivory trade. Warning: there are some graphic images.