One of the biggest stars of the “beautiful game” is getting into the fight to save “magnificent creatures” – Ivory Coast football star Yaya Toure is joining the UN Environment Program (UNep) campaign to save African Elephants from poachers.

“Ivory Coast's national team is named 'The Elephants' after these magnificent creatures that are so full of power and grace, yet in my country alone there may be as few as 800 individuals left,” Mr. Toure said at a news conference in Nairobi.

Poachers are running out of control in Africa, with dreams of cashing in on the growing demand in Asia, especially from China’s growing middle class.  Elephant ivory is used for high-end ornaments and rhino horn for folk medicines (which don’t do anything).  Both species could well be hunted to extinction at the rate the poachers are slaughtering them.  Poacher gangs have easier access to high-powered weapons, and some have even turned to poisoning water holes, wiping out entire families at a time, not to mention everything else that drinks from it.

Toure is on the shortlist for World Footballer of the year.  He represents a “particularly powerful African voice” who would inspire action in efforts to tackle environmental challenges, according to UNep Executive Director Achim Steiner.