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| ivory where it belongs |
Conservationists see the ban signed into law last week by Queen Elisabeth II as an influential development in a global effort to save elephants from extinction in the wild by rampant poaching for their ivory. The UK ban, to take effect in 2019, is strict banning all trade in items containing ivory regardless of age. There are a few exceptions for musical instruments containing small amounts of ivory, artifacts of historical or artistic significance, and trade between museums. Penalties range from significant fines to possible imprisonment. UK's domestic ivory market is one of the largest in the world, but dwarfed by China and the United States.
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| erotic Hercules in ivory |
UK's environment minister has established a coalition of government leaders, conservationists and others to work toward reducing the killing of
elephants by one-third by 2020 and two-thirds by 2024. Ending worldwide
demand for their tusks is a key component of achieving this goal.
Conservationists Will Travers and Virginia McKenna, of
Born Free fame, pointed out that poaching needs to be attacked on all fronts, including anti-poaching operations in the field, intelligence gathering, interception of international trafficking, deterrent law enforcement in range countries, and public education in market countries. A representative of World Wildlife Funds said the UK ban shows decisive leadership needed to eventually eliminate the
brutal trade, but China, the major destination for illegal ivory needs to resolutely enforce its own trade ban. The EU and Japan also continue to allow ivory trading. The rule is simple and easy to understand:
ivory belongs to elephants,
NOT humans.
