The Moose/Wolf Dynamic on Isle Royale

SOURCE: Isle Royale Wolf/Moose Study | GRAPHIC: By Patterson Clark, The Washington Post - July 21, 2008

The Moose/Wolf Dynamic - washingtonpost.com

Four African Countries to Sell Ivory, China Permitted to Buy

 

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 15, 2008 (ENS) - Four southern African countries have been approved to sell a total of 108 metric tonnes of government owned elephant ivory as a one-time exception to the international moratorium on ivory sales that has been in place since 1989 to protect these endangered animals from poachers.

The decision was taken today at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, in Geneva. It is the third such sale permitted since the ban took effect.

The 33 member CITES Standing Committee, which oversees the implementation of the CITES treaty between the major conferences, has authorized the ivory sale that was agreed in principle in June 2007 for Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

 

Elephant tusks with two rhino horns, front left (Photo courtesy Care for the Wild International)

The Committee also agreed to designate China as an importing country. Japan had already been allowed to import ivory in 2006. Officials of both countries said that they would monitor their domestic markets after purchasing the ivory to detect any increase in illegal sales of the valuable material.

Four African Countries to Sell Ivory, China Permitted to Buy

Fears for future of African elephant as UN prepares to legalise China ivory sales

 

AP

Conservationists warn that if China becomes an approved ivory trading partner, African elephants "will be shot into extinction".

Succumbing to the massive Chinese demand for ivory carvings and trinkets is likely to give an enormous boost to the illegal, poaching-based trade, conservationists have warned.

They say if China becomes an approved ivory trading partner, African elephants "will be shot into extinction".

China is expected to be given the green light by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) at a meeting in Geneva on Tuesday. The upcoming auction of 108 tonnes of ivory, which China would be able to participate in, is also likely to be given the go-ahead. In previous sales, only Japan had been allowed to take part.

Fears for future of African elephant as UN prepares to legalise China ivory sales - Telegraph

Return of the ivory trade

 

By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor
Saturday, 12 July 2008

Elephant numbers across Africa were estimated to have crashed from 1.3 million in 1980 to 625,000 in 1989.

Alarmed conservationists are warning of a new wave of elephant killing across both Africa and Asia if China is allowed to become a legal importer, as looks likely at a meeting in Geneva next week.

The unleashing of a massive Chinese demand for ivory, in the form of trinkets, name seals, expensive carvings and polished ivory tusks, is likely to give an enormous boost to the illegal trade, which is entirely poaching-based, conservationists say.

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Return of the ivory trade - Nature, Environment - The Independent