eleblog

“Ivory auctions that will take place in Namibia on October 28, Botswana on October 31, Zimbabwe on November 3, and South Africa on November 6 2008 have raised the concerns of international conservationists from Born Free Foundations (BFF), a member of the Species Survival Network, who said that the ivory auction was approved by members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), despite an international outcry from scientists and conservationists.” - Sofia Echo

“Coming out of the 14th Conference of the Parties (CoP14) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) last year in The Hague, two things were certain: firstly, that Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe would be allowed to sell registered stocks of ivory in the near future and, secondly, that a nine-year moratorium on any further ivory sales would come into effect following the sales.” - Daily Dispatch Online

“Sale of most elephant ivory is banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); even the sale of ivory from culled or naturally deceased animals is strictly regulated. Since 1973, most sale of elephant ivory has been prohibited in the United States under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, under which Asian elephants are listed as endangered and African elephants as threatened.” - allAfrica.com

“Meeting under the auspices of the African Elephant Coalition, the group called upon the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) not to allow China to be a partner in limited ivory trade allowed by the UN body two years ago in The Hague.” - The East African

“African elephant range states meeting in Mombasa, Kenya, have raised exception with undue focus on ivory trade within the CITES framework, saying preference should instead be given to conservation of elephants and mitigating challenges such as human wildlife conflict, law enforcement, building management capacity for range states and establishing mechanisms for local and trans- boundary elephant translocations. ” - International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

“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

“It will come as no surprise that the world’s largest terrestrial mammal continues to be besieged from all sides. In addition to threats to its habitat throughout Africa and Asia, smuggling and illicit trade in ivory pose major challenges to law enforcement authorities across the world.” - OneWorld South Asia

“Rescued elephants get the best of care in a sanctuary in South Africa. ” - the star online

“The decision by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to continue to trade in ivory will go a long way in improving the country’s socio-economic environment, the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Cde Francis Nhema, said yesterday.” - allAfrica.com

“A ban on ivory exports was extended for another nine years at a United Nations conference on wildlife in a move described as a step to further safeguard African elephant population.” - Business Daily Africa

“Under a proposal negotiated by elephant range states and passed by the conference, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe will be allowed to conduct a one-time sale of ivory stocks collected from elephants that died of natural causes and elephants taken by governments to protect villages. The United States has serious reservations about allowing Zimbabwe to be part of the sale because of doubts about its conservation record and commitment to combating poaching, but decided to support the agreement. Zimbabwe will have to demonstrate the effectiveness of its conservation program before it will be allowed by the CITES Standing Committee to proceed with the sale.” - All American Patriots

“Elephants and eels may find life slightly easier after trade curbs imposed by U.N. talks ending on Friday that are a pinprick to slow what may be the worst wave of extinctions since the dinosaurs.” - Reuters AlertNet

“International trade in elephant ivory was banned in 1990, due to plummeting elephant stocks. But in 1997, CITES allowed South Africa, Botswana and Namibia – where elephant numbers were growing – to sell stocks of ivory taken from poachers or dead elephants. That sale took place in 1999.” - New Scientist

“African nations at loggerheads on how best to manage the continent’s endangered elephants failed Monday to hammer out a compromise after three days of tense meetings, conservationists said.” - The Raw Story

“African countries have agreed a deal on the immediate future of the ivory trade.” - BBC NEWS

“African nations struggled to compromise Monday on competing treaty amendments for managing the ivory trade and elephant populations, which are exploding in some countries and being poached to their limits in others.” - International Herald Tribune

“As a major wildlife meeting nears its conclusion in The Hague, African nations are struggling to find a compromise on the ivory trade.” - BBC NEWS

“The CITES convention is currently being held in The Hague, Netherlands. Under discussion are African Elephants and the trade of stockpiled ivory. As a result from a previous sale of stockpiled ivory, there’s been an increase in poaching, despite elephants being on the endangered list.” - eMediaWire