International sale of elephant ivory begins
28 October 2008
(Cape Town, South Africa) - An elephant ivory auction totaling over 9,000 kgs will begin today in Namibia. This is the first time in nearly 10 years that international trade in elephant ivory has been sanctioned by the UN-backed Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The sales will continue over the next two weeks in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, with a total of 108 tonnes of ivory up for bidding. This accounts for an estimated 10,000+ dead elephants.
“Considering the level of elephant poaching occurring today, allowing this exorbitant amount of ivory to flood the market, is just plain irresponsible,” IFAW Elephants Program Director, and former Director of Kenya Wildlife Service, Michael Wamithi, said.
“Developing countries continue to bear the brunt of burgeoning Asian markets. By permitting legal trade in ivory, we are only encouraging the laundering of stocks by poachers, thereby increasing illegal hunting activities. The situation is very clear: more ivory in the marketplace equals many more dead elephants – and rangers,” Mr Wamithi said.
IFAW’s 2007 China ivory trade poll report highlighted the low awareness of the ivory control system and also citizens’ unwillingness to comply with this framework. According to the report, among the 14.5 per cent that were actually admitted consumers of ivory, 75.7 per cent would willingly violate the control system in order to obtain ivory at a cheaper price. Much evidence also exists that Japan’s domestic market is out of control.
One year ago, a suspension of at least nine years on international elephant ivory trade was approved at the 14th meeting of the CITES Conference of the Parties. This trade ban is set to come into affect after the stockpiles sales are completed.
The total amounts being auctioned are: Botswana ~44 tonnes; Namibia ~9 tonnes; South Africa ~51 tonnes; and Zimbabwe ~4 tonnes. Significant amounts of ivory in these stocks have been collected through culling which is itself a controversial means to control elephant populations.
In 1989, CITES Parties listed the African elephant on Appendix I, effectively
prohibiting all international trade in elephants and their derivatives,
including ivory, but in 1997 this was resanctioned and certain populations were
down-listed to Appendix II, allowing trade with special permissions from
CITES. These sales will be the second time in nearly two decades that the
international sale in ivory has been authorised since the initial ban.
For media-related inquiries, contact:
Colleen Cullen, IFAW Headquarters
Tel: +1 508 648 3586
Email: ccullen@ifaw.org
Chris Cutter, IFAW Headquarters
Tel: +1 508 744 2066
Email: ccutter@ifaw.org
