The bloc regards ivory from before as antique, and therefore allows it to be traded freely. Critics say the EU should halt all trade because its market provides a cover for ivory trafficking. In , activist platform Avaaz and scientists from Oxford University tested "antique" ivory products legally purchased from countries all over Europe, including Germany, Ireland and Spain.
Using radiocarbon dating, the team found that 75 percent of samples came from after , some from animals alive in the s. Illegal ivory is sometimes passed off as antique ivory pre-dating , which can be sold freely in Europe.
Read more: Europe, a silent hub of illegal wildlife trade. A perhaps more unexpected legal loophole for ivory trafficked involves prehistoric mammoths. As the permafrost melts on the vast Siberian tundra, it has revealed preserved woolly mammoths — and perhaps more importantly, their huge ivory tusks. Given the global ban on international trading in elephant ivory, the revelation has fueled something of a mammoth rush, with people vying to get their hands on the estimated , tons of the precious material beneath the ice.
The prehistoric animals tusks aren't covered by the ban. A decision on this will be taken in the coming days, but if the proposal is endorsed, it would mean mammoth ivory could only be traded using permits. Read more: Tiny bees buzz to the rescue as elephants wreak havoc. It seems like an unusual move to place an extinct animal on a list ostensibly meant to protect living species.
But the proposal is actually about protecting African elephant populations, said Shira Yashphe, a vet and wildlife consultant, and member of the Israeli CITES delegation. A study by wildlife trade specialists TRAFFIC on the US ivory market showed such cases had already occurred, noting an antiques dealer in New York who had purposefully identified illegal elephant ivory as "carved mammoth tusks. There's been a five-fold increase in the number of tons moved every year out of Russia the main exporter of mammoth ivory.
Regulating it will allow us to study it and understand impact and scope," Yashphe said, adding she's hopeful the CITES states will accept the proposal. Read more: Conservation and fashion: What is the impact of using exotic animal skins? In the meantime, while countries continue to squabble over the ivory trade, African elephant numbers are still falling — 20, are illegally killed each year. Time is not on their side.
Commercial import of African elephant ivory into the United States is prohibited. Certain noncommercial imports are allowed when specific criteria are met:. You may import a worked African elephant ivory item into the United States for the noncommercial purposes listed below if it was legally acquired and removed from the wild prior to the listing of the African elephant under CITES February 26, :.
The import of raw African elephant ivory is prohibited except:. You must obtain an ESA permit for import of an African elephant sport-hunted trophy. To apply for an import permit, submit application form Instructions are on the form. We do not require an ESA import permit for ivory items imported as part of a household move, inheritance, musical instrument, or traveling exhibition. All wildlife including parts and products imported into or exported from the United States for any purpose must be declared to the U.
Contact the port you intend to use for more information. What requirements must be met to import African elephant ivory as part of a household move or inheritance? African elephant ivory can be imported for personal use as part of a household move or inheritance provided the ivory was legally acquired and removed from the wild prior to the listing of the African elephant under CITES February 26, , and the item is accompanied by a valid CITES pre-Convention certifcate.
Items are considered part of a household move if they are household effects included when moving your residence to or from the United States provided you own the item and are moving it for personal use and you import your household effects within one year of changing your residence from one country to another. What requirements must be met to import African elephant ivory as part of a musical instrument?
Raw African elephant ivory cannot be imported as part of a musical instrument. What requirements must be met to import African elephant ivory as part of a traveling exhibition? Worked African elephant ivory may be imported as part of a traveling exhibition, such as a museum or art exhibit, provided the ivory was legally acquired and removed from the wild prior to the listing of the African elephant under CITES February 26, , and the item containing elephant ivory is accompanied by a valid CITES traveling exhibition certificate or an equivalent CITES document that meets the requirements of 50 CFR Raw African elephant ivory cannot be imported as part of a traveling exhibition.
If you wish to export your worked African elephant items for commercial purposes, you will need to demonstrate that your ivory qualifies as an ESA antique. If you wish to export worked African elephant items for noncommercial purposes you will need to be able to demonstrate that your ivory meets one of the following:. Foreign commerce does not include import or export activities. Foreign commerce is defined in section 3 of the Endangered Species Act and applies to individuals or entities subject to U.
Foreign commerce in African elephant ivory is prohibited for any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, except for items that qualify as ESA antiques and certain manufactured or handcrafted items that contain a small de minimis amount of ivory and meet specific criteria. Foreign commerce is always prohibited for the following:. Can I sell the bow in the United States, export it for sale, or take it overseas for a concert?
If the bow qualifies as an ESA antique , you will be able to export it for sale. If you can demonstrate that it qualifies as an ESA antique , you can sell it.
However, state laws and online retailer policies may further restrict or prohibit ivory sales. Always consult with your state and the retailer to determine their requirements. Under the final rule revising the African elephant 4 d rule, you cannot sell the tusks. Ivory imported as a sport-hunted trophy that does not meet the criteria for an ESA antique cannot be sold. Can I sell Asian elephant ivory items… …within a state?
Under Federal law, you can sell your Asian elephant ivory within your state intrastate commerce if you can demonstrate that your ivory was lawfully imported prior to the date that the Asian elephant was listed in CITES Appendix I July 1, However, if you are offering Asian elephant ivory for sale, you should be prepared to provide appropriate documentation to the Service, if asked. The sale of Asian elephant ivory across state lines i s prohibited except for items that qualify as ESA antiques.
For items made of Asian elephant ivory that qualify as an ESA antique, you do not need a permit from the Service to sell ivory across state lines.
Asian elephant ivory may only be imported into the United States for commercial purposes if it qualifies as an ESA antique. Asian elephant ivory may only be imported into the United States for noncommercial purposes if it qualifies as antique , or as pre-Act or is accompanied by an ESA export permit for scientific or enhancement of survival purposes. To qualify as pre-Act, under section 9 b 1 of the ESA, a specimen must:. To apply for an ESA import permit for an Asian elephant specimen, submit application form If you wish to export your Asian elephant items for commercial purposes you will need to be able to demonstrate that your ivory qualifies as an ESA antique:.
Asian elephant ivory may be exported from the United States for noncommercial purposes if it qualifies as an ESA antique or as pre-Act or is accompanied by an ESA export permit for scientific or enhancement of survival purposes. To qualify as pre-Act, under section 9 b 1 a specimen must:.
If the above criteria are not met, to apply for an ESA export permit for an Asian elephant specimen, submit application form The Chinese government allows a portion of ivory from its own stockpile to be sold each year. Traffickers take advantage of the legal trade to launder their illegal wares, which are then presented to buyers as legitimate products. In fact, both China and the United States recently announced new laws that, if enacted, could significantly limit the amount of ivory in circulation.
The bad news is that, like drugs, if there is someone willing to buy, there is always someone willing to sell. That's why policymakers and conservation groups are now targeting the demand side of the problem.
A crucial component of that strategy is gaining a deeper understanding of who buys ivory and why. GlobeScan spent eight months conducting surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus groups in the five countries in which demand for ivory is known to be concentrated: China, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and the United States. Given that the middle class is growing in some of the countries surveyed, some of these people could become likely buyers in the near future.
But there are specific drivers of demand that resonate more strongly in certain countries than others. A sizeable portion of people in China 44 percent and the Philippines 39 percent view ivory as a token of good luck, compared to smaller numbers in Thailand 25 percent and the United States 17 percent. And in some countries, reverence and respect for elephants imbues ivory with perceived qualities of rarity and beauty that contribute to its widespread appeal—which, in turn, leads to the slaughter of yet more elephants.
The takeaway lesson from the survey is that advocacy focused on the plight of elephants can sustain and increase public support for new measures to restrict the ivory trade—but curbing demand will require messages fine-tuned to resonate with ivory purchasers. Advocacy efforts on other issues have demonstrated how important it is to get inside the heads of target audiences. Marketing research revealed that teens were already aware of these hazards and tended to view smoking as an act of empowerment and rebellion.
The Truth campaign reversed that perception by showing young smokers the extent to which they were being manipulated by tobacco companies. The campaign against the ivory trade has already begun targeting its messages toward buyers.
Similarly creative strategies will be needed to counter perceptions that ivory is a fashionable, exotic status symbol. Tags: Under Threat. November 9, November 3, October 28, Donation Recurrence - None - one-time monthly.
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