Screen Legend Tippi Hedren hosted the world premiere of the riveting documentary ‘Illicit Ivory’ at the Los Angeles Zoo.  Additional celebrity attendees include Emmy® Award winner James Cromwell (“Babe,” “American Horror Story”), Mike Farrell (M*A*S*H), Shelley Fabares (“Coach”), Stand-Up Comedian Judy Tenuta, Aleksa Palladino (“Halt and Catch Fire,” “Boardwalk Empire”) and Armani Jackson (“Cooties,” Grey’s Anatomy”). Additionally, Brianna Barnes and Zay Harding from KCETLink’s “Globe Trekker,” as well as Derrick Shore, Nick Hardcastle and Nic Cha Kim

Ivory laid out for inspection. The ivory was confiscated in Singapore and returned to Tsavo East National Park, Kenya.

KCETLink Media Group, a leading national independent non-profit public broadcast and digital network, has joined forces with the  Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and its  96 Elephants campaign and the  Los Angeles Zoo to raise awareness around the illegal poaching, illicit ivory trade and wildlife trafficking crisis.

An elephant drinks from a waterhole at Tsavo East National Park.

Elephants observed and studied by Vicki Fishlock at the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP), a project of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants (ATE), the longest-running study of wild elephants in the world. Photo: successfully rearing calves relies on good decision-making in families and co-operation to protect them. Older, experienced females are important in both these things, especially for the GB family group who have 14 calves to look after.

EARTH FOCUS titled  “Illicit Ivory,” which uncovers the devastating effects of the illegal ivory trade, its impact on the dwindling African elephant population, and the link to insurgency groups and organized crime.

The film  is available on [ http://www.kcet.org/ivory ]KCET.org/ivory and [ http://www.linktv.org/ivory]LinkTV.org/ivory.