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eBay Ivory Ban Begins Jan 1
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by Jordan Yerman | December 30, 2008 at 07:09 am
547 views | 61 Recommendations | 16 comments
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January 1, 2009 will be a great day for elephants, as eBay will bring its ivory ban into effect.
While frowned upon by pretty much every environmentalist on the face of the earth, the ivory trade is not illegal everywhere, and has found enough would-be buyers to encourage a new outlet for poachers' wares. Enforcement could be an issue, though.
The proliferation in the illegal trade of wildlife species has been aided by the use of the Internet. In a recent report (PDF), the International Fund for Animal Welfare found that about two-thirds of the global online trade in protected wildlife takes place on eBay's platform. The group said that poachers kill more than 2,000 elephants in Africa and Asia annually to meet demand for ivory products.
The sale of elephant ivory has been illegal since 1989 (although there are certain exceptions to the prohibition).
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (16)
at 08:08 on December 30th, 2008
Thank you for the good news.
Now if only we can persuade the two biggest buyers of elephant tusks, China and Japan to stop buying elephant tusks, then there will be less slaughtering of elephants in Africa.
at 08:47 on December 30th, 2008
you are correct, yet the ban may help if extended to the Rhinos as well.
http://www.whitbygazette.co.uk/news/Rhino-tusk-for-sale.4414321.jp
http://www.tusk.org/selous-rhino-project.asp
The numbers of Rhinos being killed for their tusk has driven them to near extinction in some areas.
at 07:32 on December 30th, 2008
This is great news for elephants. Good for eBay.
at 08:05 on December 30th, 2008
This is specially significant for India, where several elephants are killed for tusk, and finds its buyers in todays hightech world on net
at 08:11 on December 30th, 2008
This may help the Rhinos as well as the Elephants.
at 08:28 on December 30th, 2008
I totally agree. I think more countries should get involved with preserving life of animals on this Earth. It sickens me how these countries will also are hunting sharks in record numbers, so they can use their fins in soup. It is completely unnecessary.
at 08:31 on December 30th, 2008
I dont believe Rhinos tusks are made from Ivory. I have read that the tusks are made of the same materials as your fingernails.
at 08:47 on December 30th, 2008
I can't believe eBay has been allowing the sell of ivory during of this years!!!
This is ridiculous, and now I have to applause eBay because they have finally decided stop this kind of sell?!
I wonder what other illegal articles they are allowing to be sold in their site.
at 10:06 on December 30th, 2008
Excellent news! I still can't believe people want to buy ivory and other wildlife related products.
at 11:04 on December 30th, 2008
Elephant near Kwara, Botswana January 2008. (Photo credit: David Recht: http://drecht.zenfolio.com; http://www.flickr.com/photos/drecht/)
David Recht has contributed a photo to this story.
at 11:18 on December 30th, 2008
INCREDIBLE NEWS!!! I am so thrilled and hope more companies and individuals make this wise decision. I'm surprised as well how long it took to stop the ivory trading on Ebay. http://pandarazzi.com
at 02:22 on December 31st, 2008
Two wild elephant bulls in Africa on my photo. On this road the elephants have right of way, and motorists have to make way for them. In other parts of Africa the elephants are not as privileged, and will be hunted for as long as there is a market for their ivory.
Chris_Kruger has contributed a photo to this story.
at 03:36 on December 31st, 2008
Nothing beats seeing animals in their natural environment. This photo from Kruger National Park in the lowveld of South Africa. A magnificent african elephant in the soft morning light.
Grobbs has contributed a photo to this story.
at 08:10 on December 31st, 2008
I was under the impression that sales of ivory were already illegal in the USA. Why have sales been allowed previously? THAT is something I would like to know.
at 17:58 on January 5th, 2009
Summer Blossom Handmade Soft Toy by Maiden Love
(Photo credit: Maya Greven, http://www.itsmaidenlove.com, http://www.flickr.com/photos/maidenlove/)
Maiden Love has contributed a photo to this story.
at 07:59 on January 7th, 2009
Sorry it took me longer to approve your request to use my picture for an article as thoughful as this one. Was away and approved it as soon as I got back! Good news indeed!