UK ban relegates legal ivory trade to ‘a thing of the past’

The government of the United Kingdom announced today that it plans to introduce a stringent ban on the trade of ivory. “Ivory should never be seen as a commodity for financial gain or a status symbol, so we will introduce one of the world’s toughest bans on ivory sales to protect elephants for future generations,” Environment Secretary Michael Gove said in a government statement. “The ban on ivory sales we will bring into law will reaffirm the UK’s global leadership on this critical issue, demonstrating our belief that the abhorrent ivory trade should become a thing of the past.” An investigation in 2017 revealed that the United Kingdom was the largest exporter of legal ivory, with much of it destined for Asian markets. But soon, aside from a few exceptions based on the size and the age of specific products, it will no longer be legal to buy or sell ivory in the U.K., according to language drafted by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Conservation groups applauded this step, which many see as crucial in the battle to stem the precipitous decline in African elephant populations. African elephants at a watering hole in Tanzania. Photo by John C. Cannon. Cristián Samper, CEO of the U.S.-based NGO Wildlife Conservation Society, said that WCS is eager to see the UK’s parliament codify the ban into law, and he added that the ban is part of a worldwide trend as governments come to grips with their countries’ role in the…

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