Honolulu, Hawaii – On Saturday, September 10th world government and
NGO representatives voted at the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress in Hawaii urging governments
to close down their domestic ivory markets.
Domestic ivory sales in most countries are legal. Many experts
believe that domestic ivory markets help fuel poaching by stimulating
demand and allowing traffickers a cover for their illegal imports and
exports.
A recent survey by Paul G. Allen’s Great Elephant Census
(GEC) earlier this month revealed that in just seven years there has
been a 30% decline of Africa’s elephant populations due to the enormous
demand for ivory.
In response, the IUCN, which has 1,300 members from more than 160
countries, voted in favour of closing domestic markets by an
overwhelming majority of 91%.
This was in spite of fierce resistance from South Africa, Namibia and
Japan – the latter with a thriving domestic ivory market of its own –
who threatened to walk out of the debate and resign from the IUCN in
protest.
The three countries then sought to soften the language of the motion
by insisting on no less than 20
different amendments. All were rejected.
Credit: Adam Cruise - Conservation Action Trust for this article.
Total No of Rhinos slaughtered in South Africa to End of December 2021 = 451 Official figures. Note: the number of wild rhinos in Kruger has declined from 3,500 to 2,800 in one year. Read my blog below for Headlines from around the World concerning the Global Catastrophe that is causing the biggest mass extinction since the Permian Period, and News of the fight to stop the slaughter of the Planet's Wildlife before it is too late.
