Elephant poaching and the ivory trade: The impact of demand reduction and enforcement efforts by China from 2005 – 2017

Abstract

African elephants are iconic species threatened by poaching and China was considered as one of the main destinations for illegally sourced ivory. In this article we combine two surveys of ivory carving enterprises with other data sets, including Chinese government seizure statistics, with market prices for illegal ivory and substitute goods, to understand the impact of enforcement and demand reduction measures on ivory prices and poaching. Our analysis indicates the strong enforcement measures to combat ivory smuggling, temporarily suppressed the tendency of illegal trade while stimulating a steep rise in illegal ivory prices thereafter. Peaking in 2012–2013, prices thereafter fell due to government measures to reduce demand under China's ‘Ecological Civilization’ programme and the announcement of ‘Eight-point Regulation’. Although our survey suggests that most Chinese carving enterprises were intending to close or to diversify their business activities away from ivory carving as a result of the total ban on domestic ivory trading by 31st December 2017 and China had banned domestic ivory trade for over half a year and all ivory carving enterprises closed their ivory business activities since this domestic ban. In order to prevent speculative demand in the world that may undermine Chinese efforts, we argue that other countries now also need to adopt multi-faceted actions to curtail their domestic ivory trade.

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More African ivory being smuggled into China despite ban -report

NAIROBI, Oct 2 (Reuters) – More African ivory is being smuggled into China from Myanmar and Beijing’s ban on trade in ivory has failed to dampen imports, a report by conservation group Save the Elephants said on Tuesday.

Wildlife activists said they welcomed China’s ban this year on the ivory trade, arguing the step by a country that is the world’s largest importer and end user of tusks was vital to reducing the slaughter of the endangered species.

But it has not stopped what Save the Elephants called the “prolific growth” in trading in a town in the “Golden Triangle” area, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong Rivers, south of China.

There has been a 60 percent growth in new ivory items seen for sale in the Myanmar-China border town of Mong La in the past three years and 90 percent of buyers are Chinese wishing to smuggle the ivory home, the report said.

It gave no separate figures for the period since the ban was introduced.

Myanmar has the world’s largest population of captive elephants, 5,000 in all, but trade in tusks at Mong La and elsewhere increasingly comes from elephants of African origin, the report said.

Myanmar’s government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment.

“Demand is still very high in China … Myanmar has over 2,000 kilometres of borderline with China which is very easy for smugglers to bring ivory across,” said researcher Lucy Vigne.

She co-authored the report with Esmond Bradley-Martin, a prominent American investigator of the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade who was found dead in his home in the Kenyan capital with an unexplained stab wound in his neck in February.

He had spent decades tracking the movement of animal products, mostly from Africa to markets in Asia. (Additional reporting by Poppy McPherson in Yangon Editing by Maggie Fick and Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

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Illegal ivory found on sale in 10 European countries

Illegal ivory has been found on sale in 10 European countries, contravening international efforts to cut down on the trade which campaigners say encourages the poaching of elephants.

The campaigning group Avaaz bought 109 items of ivory and had them tested using radiocarbon dating. Nearly one-fifth of the objects were found to contain ivory from animals killed since 1990, which is illegal, after restrictions on the global ivory trade were put in place in 1989.

Three-quarters of the items were dated to after 1947. The sale of ivory made after that date is subject to restrictions, and to be sold legally requires official documentation.

Avaaz said the findings, which echo other research that has found illegal ivory objects on sale in the UK and elsewhere,showed that Europe should do more to investigate and control the ivory trade.



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Campaigners reveal illegal ivory trading across EU

Traders are selling illegal ivory openly across the European Union (EU), a campaign group said in a report on Tuesday.

The campaign group Avaaz said more than 100 ivory pieces it bought in 10 EU countries were found to be illegal after they were tested at Oxford University in Britain, indicating a loophole in relevant regulations.

In its report "Europe's Deadly Ivory Trade", Avaaz said a fifth of the items it bought had come from elephants killed after the global ivory trade was banned in 1989 and three quarters were from animals killed after 1947.

Under EU laws, government certificates are legally required for the sale of ivory acquired after 1947 and before 1990. Avaaz said none of the ivory it bought had certificates.

Avaaz campaign director Bert Wander said: "This bombshell evidence proves beyond doubt that illegal ivory is being sold across Europe. It must spark the end of this bloody trade. Every day (when) the sale of these trinkets continues is a day closer to wiping out majestic elephants forever."

The campaign group said it bought the items, both on-line and in shops, from antique dealers and private sellers over a four-month period in Britain, Ireland, Belgium, France, Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

It said the study counters claims by the European Commission that there was no evidence of illegal ivory trade in the 28 members of the EU.


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