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Great News – China to ban Ivory Trade!

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A Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) ranger stands guard around illegal stockpiles of burning elephant tusks, ivory figurines and rhinoceros horns at the Nairobi National Park, April 2016. (CARL DE SOUZA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

BBC News has just reported [31 Dec 2016]:

“China announces ban on ivory trade and processing activities by end of 2017:

Conservation groups hailed the decision as “historic” and a “game-changer” for the future of elephants.

The move follows a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in South Africa in October.

China has the biggest ivory market in the world – some estimates suggest 70% of the world’s trade ends up there.  Ivory can reach $1,100 (£850) per kilogram in China.

China’s State Council announced the details of the ban on Friday.

The commercial processing and sale of ivory will stop by 31 March, and all registered traders will then be phased out, bringing a full halt to the market by the end of the year.

Conservation group WWF welcomed the latest news, calling it a “historic announcement… signalling an end to the world’s primary legal ivory market and a major boost to international efforts to tackle the elephant poaching crisis in Africa”.”

Click here for the complete BBC News report.

Thanks to Deborah Robertson (who led the Environmental Delegation to China in 2016) for drawing attention to this breaking news.

– Duncan France