eleblog

“In 1989 the signatories of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) agreed to ban trade in ivory. Last year CITES, which now has 172 member countries, extended this ban for a further nine years, having sanctioned but two sales from stocks, of which only one has taken place. A stroll in Chinatown suggests that trade is thriving nonetheless. A forthcoming report by researchers for Care for the Wild, a British animal-welfare and conservation charity, says that around half the ivory in this market comes from illegally killed elephants. Other studies reveal similar stories elsewhere in the West.” - \Economist.com

Tags: Chinatown, CITES, Ivory