The Great Ivory Debate
In 1989, a ban was enforced on the commercialization of elephant ivory because the elephants were fast becoming endangered animals. Two years ago, in 2009, a proposal to lift the ban was suggested. Thus ensued what is now being called the Great Ivory Debate. Elephants are still endangered animals. Their population has grown, but not enough to justify lifting the international ban.
Furthermore, it’s extreme cruelty to animals to remove part of their body for profit, leaving them to die on the wayside. Ivory is still a premium item on the black market. There are reported incidents of black market elephants ivory being sold for astronomical prices. Businessmen and traders are intent on turning the ban around in order to cash in on the high pricing. Many are also speculating that the price of elephant ivory will sky rocket now that there is an ongoing debate on the international ivory ban. The bottom line is still profiteering at the expense of these endangered animals.
There have been several cases of elephant ivory tusks being confiscated en route to Asia, including one case of a North Korean diplomat attempting to smuggle out 33 ivory tusks from Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe appears to be the most lax in enforcing the ban. One case reported of an ivory shipment as a finished product to Japan worth US $90,000. This could have led to other nations wanting their share of the profits by getting the ban lifted.
Zimbabwe along with Namibia and Botswana want the ban to be partial to allow them to export tusks or live elephants as a form of revenue for the government. However, using a country’s economic woes as the reason for lifting the ban is potentially a blackmail tactic that should not be considered. There are other ways of helping a country develop without harming animals. In the first place, ivory trade does not benefit a nation, just a few traders who will earn millions that they probably have no intention of sharing with the rest of their countrymen.
Conservationists argue that lifting the ban will just make all work on increasing elephant population null and void. As it is, there are some special permits being issued by African governments on ivory sport-hunting as trophies.
Obviously, the ban isn’t working 100%, but there is still some measure of control and the elephant population is growing, however slow. Lifting the ban will remove all controls and it will be a free trade market once again. No doubt, elephants will again be sitting ducks to more destructive and cruel methods of removing the tusks.