China announces to ban all ivory sales by the end of 2017

African elephants currently face a crisis of numbers because the value of ivory has increased dramatically.

#Ivory can fetch almost $600 per pound on the black market. The demand has increased the rate of poaching with an elephant being killed every 15 minutes. Beyond the ecological effects of poaching is the economic effects on local communities, where it can destroy livelihoods of those who live within areas that elephants range.

Poachers spread crime and rob communities of an asset because elephants draw tourists from all over the world. This provides communities with a legal, sustainable source of income for locals.

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