Why is trade in ivory illegal?

Why is trade in ivory illegal?

Ivory trade was banned in 1989 by the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), an international agreement between 181 governments to ensure that trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

Why is taking ivory tusks from elephants illegal?

Ivory, which comes from elephant tusks, is considered very valuable. Because of the high price of ivory, poachers illegally kill elephants so that they can take their tusks and sell them. Tens of thousands of elephants are killed each year for their tusks, and as a result, elephant populations have declined rapidly.

Why is ivory trade a global problem?

The ivory trade is a global issue due to its ties to terrorist groups, international support, as well as a global movement to stop the trade. Ivory poaching mostly occurs in countries that are politically unstable. In some cases, the state government even supports the ivory trade.

When did trading in ivory become illegal?

1989
The international commercial trade in ivory was banned in 1989, although many countries continued to sell ivory legally, within their own borders and exemptions for some types of ivory like antiques made exporting them legal, including here in the UK.

Is ivory illegal to trade?

In general, export of raw African and Asian elephant ivory from the United States is prohibited. Import of raw African elephant ivory, with the exception of sport-hunted trophies, has been banned since the 1989 moratorium.

Is it illegal to buy ivory?

On July 6, 2016, a near-total ban on commercial trade in African elephant ivory went into effect in the United States. If you already own ivory – an heirloom carving that’s been passed down in your family, or a vintage musical instrument with ivory components, those pieces are yours.

How does the ivory trade affect the environment?

In conclusion, the desire of people to consume ivory products is leading to the poaching of elephants, which finally causes the species to become extinct. Consequently, it gives rise to the devastating decline of forests and harming herbivorous animals as elephants helps to maintain grassland.

Is the ivory trade legal?

Two years after China bans elephant ivory trade, demand for elephant ivory is down. Two years ago this month, China took the monumental step of banning elephant ivory trade within the country. Dec. 31, 2017 was the last day it was legal to buy or sell ivory there.

How many elephants are killed for ivory?

An estimated 100 African elephants are killed each day by poachers seeking ivory, meat and body parts, leaving only 400,000 remaining. An insatiable lust for ivory products in the Asian market makes the illegal ivory trade extremely profitable, and has led to the slaughter of tens of thousands of African elephants.

Why was the ban on ivory sales lifted?

The main reason for CITES’ lifting of the ban on sales of stockpiled ivory was the increased demands for ivory from southern African and Asian countries. The lifting of the ban for these special sales had the effect of sanctioning illegal trade in tusks and increasing poaching once again.

Why is it important to know about the ivory trade?

Answer Answers will vary. Awareness of the history of the illegal ivory trade will increase understanding of the role market demands play in the decline of the elephant population. Knowing the issues surrounding the decline of the elephant population will help people critically examine needs for conservation of this natural resource.

Is the ivory trade legal in Hong Kong?

A 2015 report by WWF revealed that legal trade could be used as a front for laundering illegal ivory sourced from freshly poached elephants. Following vigorous public campaigns, in January 2018 Hong Kong’s lawmakers voted to ban the trade, phasing it out by 2021.

What kind of animals are killed in the ivory trade?

The Ivory Trade – Elephant Poaching. Introduction. The ivory trade is the primary reason that the endangered elephant population world wide is diminishing at an alarming rate. Other species killed for their ivory tusks are the hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal and mammoth.