Beijing striving to demonstrate willingness to curb illegal trade
At a ceremony in Guangdong on Monday, China crushed 6.15 tons of seized elephant ivory collected through enforcement actions across the country.
'China's actions, more than those of any other country, have the potential to reverse the rising trends of elephant poaching and illegal ivory trafficking,' said Tom Milliken, ivory trade expert at the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC. 'The destruction of seized ivory makes an important public statement.'
The destruction follows similar actions by Gabon and the U.S., recent prison convictions of ivory smugglers in China, and the African Elephant Summit in December, where 30 countries agreed on a deal to curb the illicit trade.
China is the world's largest market for illegal ivory, feeding the poaching of almost 100 elephants every day in 2012, the highest level in at least 16 years. According to preliminary indicators, trafficking may have increased in 2013.
Posted by Unknown on Monday, January 6, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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