Is killing elephants for ivory illegal?
Despite a ban on the international trade in ivory, African elephants are still being poached in large numbers. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year for their ivory tusks. The ivory is often carved into ornaments and jewellery – China is the biggest consumer market for such products.
Are African elephants protected by law?
The U.S. Congress passed the African Elephant Conservation Act (“Act”), 1989 to assist the conservation and protection of the African elephant by supporting and providing financial resources for the conservation programs of African countries and the CITES Secretariat[i].
When did elephant ivory become illegal?
Finally at that October meeting of CITES after heated debates, the African elephant was put on Appendix One of CITES, and three months later in January 1990 when the decision was enacted, the international trade in ivory was banned. It is widely accepted that the ivory ban worked.
What laws protect elephants?
The African Elephant Conservation Act was passed in 1988. This law allows the U.S. government to take strict action against illegal ivory imports and authorizes government funding for elephant field conservation projects.
Who enforces the Elephant conservation Act?
(e) ENFORCEMENT. —The Secretary, the Secretary of the Treas- ury, and the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating shall enforce this part in the same manner such Secre- taries carry out enforcement activities under section 11(e) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C.
Where is ivory still legal?
However, many countries – including the UK, US, Thailand and Japan – have domestic markets where it is legal to buy and sell ivory certified as antique or coming from legal stockpiles.
How much is elephant tusk worth?
Poachers are now slaughtering up to 35,000 of the estimated 500,000 African elephants every year for their tusks. A single male elephant’s two tusks can weigh more than 250 pounds, with a pound of ivory fetching as much as $1,500 on the black market.
Do elephants feel pain in their tusks?
Elephants feel an immense amount of pain if someone cuts off their tusks. Tusks are deeply rooted incisors with nerve endings. When severed, those nerve endings are exposed and can easily become infected, leading to death.
Why is Zimbabwe calling for the lifting of the ivory ban?
The Zimbabwean government is calling for the lifting of the ban on trade in elephants and ivory to allow live sales, culling and trophy hunting and to enable it to sell a stockpile of ivory worth more than half a billion dollars. The proceeds, the country says, will be used to fund the conservation of the animals.
Should the African elephant be downlisted to Appendix 2?
The African elephant is on Appendix 1 and downlisting it to Appendix 2 would allow culling to reduce the population.
Why is Kenya opposed to the reopening of the ivory trade?
But other African countries, led by Kenya, are opposed to the reopening of international trade in ivory, arguing it will trigger a rise in elephant poaching and endanger further existing populations around the continent. What is the African elephant? African elephants are the world’s largest land animals.
Are elephants being poached in southern Africa?
According to CITES, Southern Africa is the only region whose proportion of illegally killed elephants has not risen above 0.5% since 2003. But in February this year (2019) Rangers in Hwange busted a poaching syndicate at Cross Dete leading to the recovery of 96 kg of raw ivory indicating that poaching is still rife.