Ivory Sales to China Approved by CITES
Potential Increase in Elephant Poaching and Illegal Trade is Concern
Sep 19, 2008
Both sides in this issue make important points. Helping elephants in poor, developing nations requires funds and ivory taken out of the illegal trade would provide some income. But there is some evidence that legal trade stimulates illegal trade, thus continuing the incentive to poach elephants.
Protecting Elephants Through the Ivory Trade Ban
In 1989 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted to ban international sales of ivory to protect endangered Asian (Elephas maximus) and threatened African elephant (Loxodonta africana) populations. Kenya, whose elephant population was hard hit by poaching, had already banned the domestic sale and use of wildlife products such as ivory in 1978. Kenya then lead the push for the international ivory ban, a concept which is supported by many conservation organizations. Ebay, the internet sales leader, has banned elephant ivory sales on its site as of January 2009.
Two One-Off Sales of Elephant Ivory Approved
Two “one-off” sales of elephant ivory to approved buyers were authorized by CITES. The first took place in 1999, allowing Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe to sell nearly fifty metric tons of ivory all of which came from illegal trade seizures or during culls of stable elephant populations. The developing nations were required to use the income for wildlife conservation, including protection for elephants. Japan was the only country to be approved as a buyer at that time.
In 2007, permission was granted for a second sale of elephant ivory, which has not yet taken place. This time South Africa is included as a seller and China has been approved as a buyer. China was not allowed to purchase ivory in 1999, as illegal trade was a serious problem there. Since 2002, China has been very active in seizures of illegally traded ivory coming into the country.
Once the sale is complete a nine year moratorium on legal ivory sales will begin, allowing an evaluation of the effect of the sale on the illegal trade.
The Argument Against Elephant Ivory Sales
Between October of 2004 and April of 2007 approximately 41 metric tons of elephant ivory were seized worldwide. An estimated 20,000 elephants per year were poached to supply this illegal market. This is nearly equivalent to the amount of ivory sold in the first “one-off sale”.
Those opposed to the sale contend that the legal sales fuel the illegal market. There is additional concern because China, now being included as a purchaser, has only recently made any effort to police the illegal trade in poached wildlife.
The Argument for Elephant Ivory Sales
The elephant populations in southern Africa, that is, within the countries involved in the sale, fall into Appendix II of CITES, which does allow for some commercial trade via a permit system.
In southern Africa human-elephant conflict is a serious concern, as is poverty. Elephant populations in these countries are stable or growing in most areas and some form of management, often culling, is necessary.
Using the ivory from culled elephants and from ivory seized from the illegal trade to provide funds for elephant conservation and management is seen as a sensible option. Some of the funding can be used to support farmers who are directly affected by the elephants, encouraging co-existence.
There a good points on both sides of this argument. The issue of how to deal with a large, migratory species like the elephant, a growing human population and their conflicting needs is not one that will be easily resolved.
The ivory sale has been agreed. The nine years of moratorium that will follow allow time to determine whether the sales spur increased elephant poaching. And whether China continues to improve its anti-poaching efforts after the sale is complete.
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