The state-owned Chinese retail chain, Chinese Arts & Crafts, has suspended sales of elephant ivory
its stores across China and Hong Kong from mid-March the company according to a statement emailed to Reuters.
"Due to the adjustment of product mix, Chinese Arts & Crafts (H.K.) Ltd has suspended
the business of selling (elephant) ivory products at all Chinese Arts & Crafts branches," it said.
This decision has been verified by WildAid who carried out spot checks across the stores.
Representitives from the charity were confident that all elephant ivory has been removed from shelves,
is not being mis-sold it as mammoth ivory, and is not for sale “under the counter.”
“History shows the legal ivory trade has been the method to launder illegal ivory from poached elephants,”
said WildAid Executive Director Peter Knights. “We applaud CAC for their leadership
and believe this will help reduce poaching in Africa as another step in ending this bloody trade forever.”
The World Wildlife Fund ranks China as the world's biggest end-market for illegal elephant ivory and animal rights groups say demand there is fuelling a surge in poaching in Africa.
“For the past few years, Africa has been hemorrhaging elephants because of consumer demand for ivory,”
said African Wildlife Foundation CEO Dr. Patrick Bergin. “The decision to stop selling ivory products
by Chinese Arts & Crafts sends the appropriate message to consumers that elephant ivory
is only valuable if attached to a living, breathing elephant. For the sake of Africa’s elephants,
we hope that this is the beginning of a sea change in attitudes across Asia about ivory.”
Thank you.
