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日本語Ivory Trade Makes Congressional Agenda
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Washington, D.C.
“Given the severity of the current state of the trade in elephant ivory,
signaled by escalating worldwide ivory seizures, the ivory trade is a prime
global issue that deserves center-stage,” said Wamithi. “An estimated 20,000
elephants are being killed annually for their ivory. It is encouraging that the
U.S. is bringing this issue into discussion – but we need urgent action if we
are going to save these elephants.”
The 14th meeting of parties to the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) is scheduled to take place in June in The Hague, Netherlands. Today’s testimonies are expected to inform the U.S. government position on a key elephant conservation proposal.
Kenya and Mali have submitted a joint proposal to the CITES Secretariat for a 20-year moratorium on trade in raw or worked ivory, excluding non-commercial hunting trophies and (in the case of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) ivory exported pursuant to a one-off sale of up to 66 tons (60 tonnes) agreed at the 2002 meeting of CITES.
Cindy Milburn, IFAW’s Acting U.S. Country Director, sees this moratorium as a chance for depleted elephant populations to recover. “The ivory trade is cruel and senseless, and it must be stopped. Given the rampant illegal trade in elephant ivory, we could continue to see a dramatic decrease in elephant populations across both Africa and Asia. We must act now.”
Between August 2005 and August 2006, over 25.5 tons (23 tonnes) of illegal ivory has been seized around the world, the highest ever annual seizure rate since the 1989 CITES ban went into effect.
The 14th meeting of parties to the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) is scheduled to take place in June in The Hague, Netherlands. Today’s testimonies are expected to inform the U.S. government position on a key elephant conservation proposal.
Kenya and Mali have submitted a joint proposal to the CITES Secretariat for a 20-year moratorium on trade in raw or worked ivory, excluding non-commercial hunting trophies and (in the case of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) ivory exported pursuant to a one-off sale of up to 66 tons (60 tonnes) agreed at the 2002 meeting of CITES.
Cindy Milburn, IFAW’s Acting U.S. Country Director, sees this moratorium as a chance for depleted elephant populations to recover. “The ivory trade is cruel and senseless, and it must be stopped. Given the rampant illegal trade in elephant ivory, we could continue to see a dramatic decrease in elephant populations across both Africa and Asia. We must act now.”
Between August 2005 and August 2006, over 25.5 tons (23 tonnes) of illegal ivory has been seized around the world, the highest ever annual seizure rate since the 1989 CITES ban went into effect.
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