China Bans Ivory Trade: Great News For African Elephants

Rob Cotton
Updated
ivory trade ban China
ivory trade ban China

China’s state council announced on Friday the details of a ban on the country’s ivory trade following a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in South Africa in October of 2016. According to BBC News, the Chinese ivory trade is the world’s largest, with as much as 70 percent of the world’s ivory ending up for sale on the Chinese market. Sales of ivory on the Chinese market can bring in as much as $1,100 per kilogram, making it a lucrative endeavor for poachers to kill elephants even in countries where elephant hunting is banned.

By March 31, 2017, legal commercial processing and sale of ivory will be completely stopped in China and registered traders will be phased out with the country’s officials expecting a full stop to its legal ivory trade by the end of 2017.

China ban ivory trade
China’s ban on the ivory trade will help protect vulnerable African savanna elephants. [Image by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images]

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) welcomed the news of the ban on the ivory trade in China on its website.

“Closing the world’s largest legal ivory market will deter people in China and beyond from buying ivory and make it harder for ivory traffickers to sell their illegal stocks,” said Lo Sze Ping, CEO of WWF-China.

“WWF applauds China’s decision to ban its domestic ivory trade so swiftly, underlining the government’s determination and strong leadership to reduce demand for ivory and help save Africa’s elephants.”