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Ivory trade endangers elephants in Africa

The trade with ivory was forbidden since 1989. Since the demand was big, the illegal trade boomed.

Now, CITES* allowed the legal trade with 108 tons of ivory. Animal welfarists fear, it will only stoke up the trade, the legal as well as the illegal one. In the end, the ones to suffer are Africa’s elephants.

Picture 1: Slaughtered elephant Picture 2: Dead elephant

In this context, it’s important to mention, that South Africa allowed the hunting of elephants in may this year, which has been forbidden since 1994. The reason for this is the strong growing population of elephants, which stresses the environmental balance. Besides translocations, birth control and other alternatives (of which many had been declined because they are too costly), they are also planning “Culling”, meaning the killing of whole families.
In 1994, the hunting was stopped because of international protests. The Kruger national park contained 8.000 elephants by then, now, their estimated number is 14.000. Around 6.000 are living in other South African reservations.
Other countries like Mozambique, Angola, Kenya and Congo are trying to increase the numbers of elephants in their areas.
However, killing the elephants is supposed to be the very last option. The ivory is said to not be sold but stored somewhere and the flesh shall not be used.

Around 20.000 elephants per year are killed for the purpose of illegal ivory trade. Though, the CITES conference allowed Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe a one-time stockpiles sale of 108 tons (the ivory of around 10.000 elephants), after that, ivory trade shall be forbidden for nine years. The money gained from the sales shall be used for programs to protect their elephant populations. Might get complicated, since South Africa actually plans to decrease its population….
Japan may import 50 tons of ivory since 1999, now, China had been allowed as a purchaser as well. China’s ivory is used mostly for jewellery and ornaments, which will be sold to other Asian tourists.
Intercessors say, that China complied the restrictions adequate and they do a lot to implement the trade prohibition and they confiscate illegal goods quite often.
Opponents, however, bring forward the argument, that China itself told 2003, that within the span of 1991 and 2001, 121 tons of ivory disappeared, which matches the amount of ivory of 11.000 dead elephants. The ivory was probably sold illegal.

Picture 3: Ivory

The chance of an ease of the prohibition alone resulted in exploding prices on the black market.
Since the prohibition had been eased, the number of poached elephants increased enormously.

This decision will presumably result in even more killed elephants and an ivory smuggle getting out of control.


CITES = Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora



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