In 2013, Slash performed in South Africa with rock supergroup Kings of Chaos and spent extra time seeing the local wildlife. Although he had been aware of the diminishing numbers of elephants in the world, the former Guns N’ Roses guitarist learned on this trip that the situation was becoming increasingly more dire. While poaching rangers had increased their efforts to stop the illegal ivory trade, Slash believed that people needed to be more aware of the situation. He tells Rolling Stone Magazine, “I was shocked that the poachers still manage to get away with it.” Slash explained, “A lot of people don’t know that every time they purchase anything that has even a smidgen of ivory in it, it comes from a dead elephant. I think if people were more aware of that, it would have a dramatic effect on the whole ivory trade.”
