In response to escalating levels of elephant poaching and illegal trade in ivory, destruction is being increasingly accepted as the only viable long term solution to the problem of the ever increasing government-owned ivory stockpiles. Why?
France has today crushed and incinerated 3.5 tonnes of ivory in the shadow of the iconic Eiffel Tower, ahead of the UK-hosted Conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade taking place in London on the 13th February.
A Chinese ivory smuggler, who pleaded guilty to trafficking ivory in Kenya, was yesterday fined 20 million Kenya Shillings (equivalent to US$232,000 or £138,000). He will serve seven years in prison if he is unable to pay the fine.
Jean-Philippe Nkaga, suspected to not only be behind the mass slaughter of elephants but to also coordinate ivory trafficking, has been arrested in Minvoul, Northern Gabon.
From the 2nd - 4th December 2013, government representatives and elephant experts gathered in Botswana to attend the African Elephant Summit, to discuss the current serious crisis facing Africa's elephants.
A recent study finds that unlike other Southeast Asian domestic ivory markets, that in Cambodia has dried up. Crackdown on poaching and stronger law enforcement are among the reasons...
On 4th October 2013 thousands marched in a series of 15 worldwide marches, showing their opposition to the current elephant poaching crises and the ivory trade causing it.
Governments and conservation partners launch new initiative to tackle the scourge of poaching, illegal ivory trade and associated national, regional and global security issues.