Animal Day marches protest poaching

JOHANNESBURG — About 500 people gathered in downtown Johannesburg to join the international fight to save dwindling rhinoceros and elephant populations.

They marched through South Africa’s largest city as part of global marches for rhinos and elephants that were planned Saturday in 136 cities around the world to mark World Animal Day, according to organizers. The demonstrations were meant to raise awareness of the international ivory trade and to press governments to implement stricter legal measures to prevent poaching.

“We want the South African government also to make changes in legislation,” said Dex Kotze, one of the organizers, who said poachers should not be granted bail. South African authorities have made more than 100 arrests related to poaching and have introduced longer prison sentences, but that has done little to deter poachers as 558 rhinos have been killed in South Africa so far this year.

The 2.5-mile march also called for an end to the hunting of captive lions.