WCS says the appraisals are sending the wrong message to the public and are helping perpetuate a black market that is wiping out elephants at an unprecedented rate.

96 Elephants has launched a satirical appraisal on YouTube that brings to light the many negative issues surrounding the ivory trade. These include the wholesale slaughter of elephants, murdering of park guards, organized crime, terrorism, and human rights abuses.

Said John Calvelli, WCS Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Director of the 96 Elephants campaign: "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. We believe that Antiques Roadshow has a moral obligation to do the right thing and halt ivory appraisals while this crisis rages on."

Added Calvelli: "We recognize that Antiques Roadshow has the unique ability to reach a broad audience to help protect Africa’s elephants. We urge them to join our campaign and take a stand against ivory by ending on-air appraisals."

Unscrupulous antiques dealers falsely identify ivory from recently killed elephants as antique, which not only harms elephant populations, but also harms legitimate antique businesses. In 2011, an antiques dealer in Philadelphia was convicted of smuggling more than one ton of ivory into the US by disguising it as antique.

Said Calvelli: "Allowing any carved tusks or worked ivory – antique or not – into the marketplace furthers the existing loophole for illegal ivory and renders law enforcement ineffective. It sends a message to China and other consumer countries that it’s okay to sell raw and worked ivory, including ‘old’ stockpiles – further fueling the elephant poaching crisis. Our message to the public is simple: Don’t do ivory.”

The 96 Elephants campaign has already achieved success with the recent announcement by the Obama administration of a federal ban on most ivory sales. In addition, legislation has been introduced to ban ivory sales in New York and Hawaii. The campaign’s next steps are to continue to work to pass state moratoria and close loopholes that would allow ivory to continue to be traded, as well as work with other nations on banning ivory.

The public overwhelmingly supports banning ivory sales. A recent independent survey in New York State shows that 80 percent or voters support a ban of ivory sales.