A new law banning the sale of ivory goods in the UK today is a “milestone” in the protection of elephants, according to the government.
But while widely welcomed by conservationists, he fears it doesn’t go far enough to protect other species.
It took four years to implement the Ivory Act 2018, and groups such as the charity Born Free say the delay has allowed the ivory trade not only to continue but also to find new ways to exploit animals. .
A joint statement from 14 conservation NGOs said: “Given the known threats from the ivory trade to elephants, it is unfortunate that the road to implementing the UK’s Ivory Act has been so slow.
“In 2017, it was revealed that the United Kingdom is the world’s leading exporter of antique ivory, especially for China and Hong Kong – two hotspots for the illegal ivory trade. As of today, the United Kingdom is adding its name to the ever-growing list of countries banned by law. ivory trade in their domestic markets. “
The Ivory Act means potential fines of up to £ 250,000 for anyone who illegally sells ivory from, to or in the UK.
There are still some items that may be sold without exception, including portrait miniatures, musical instruments, low ivory items, sales of eligible museums, and rare / important items.
The Minister for Animal Welfare, Lord Goldsmith, said: “The entry into force of the world’s leading ivory law is a milestone in ensuring the survival of elephants around the world for future generations.
“Thousands of elephants are unnecessarily and cruelly targeted against ivory every year for financial gain.
“As one of the strictest bans of its kind, we are sending a clear message that the ivory trade is completely unacceptable.
Image: It is estimated that about 20,000 elephants are killed every year because of ivory
A “shocking” amount of ivory on the market in the United Kingdom
Not surprisingly, the Internet has become a major market for unscrupulous traders, and a report commissioned by Born Free highlights the scale and scope of the online ivory market in the UK.
In one month, the charity uncovered 1,832 overt and covert online ads containing ivory, valued at approximately £ 1.1 million. Of the ads that seek to sell ivory, disguised or described as something else, 95% were on eBay UK, a platform that already bans the sale of ivory. Many of these hidden objects were incorrectly labeled “bone.”
Frankie Osuch, Born Free’s policy support officer, said: “I know the ivory trade is a global problem, but I was shocked at how many ivory items I found here in the UK.
“Assessing the demand and value of ivory is important, as it is related to the percentage of elephant poaching. I hope that the new sanctions related to the Ivory Act will be enough to encourage compliance among all traders. “
eBay says it uses sophisticated algorithms to identify “code words” used to cover up the sale of ivory products.
“EBay is a founding member of the Coalition to End Online Wildlife Trafficking,” a spokesman said. “We have been working to tackle the illegal ivory trade for many years and are working with WWF and IFAW to keep our policies and processes up to date.
“We have global teams dedicated to implementing our policies, and in the last two years we have blocked or removed more than 265,000 ads banned under our animal products policy.”
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The report suggests that ivory may still be sold under the guise of other species and that the risk to non-ivory species (such as walruses, narwhals and hippos) may increase as sellers try to use ” legal alternatives “.
As a result, several charities and conservation NGOs have called on the government to extend the ivory ban to include ivory of other species and to ensure that the sanctions involved are sufficient to deter people from deliberately misbehaving. labeling of ivory products.
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