Total ban to Ivory Trade

The dramatic increase in ivory poaching across Africa is being fuelled by organised crime based in china and the Far East, according to a new report.

This has resulted in a surge in ivory prices from around $241 per kilogram in 2004 to more than $6,446 today.Scientists now estimate that between eight and 10 per cent of Africas elephants are being killed each year.

The report which is based on the latest analysis of seizure data in the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS) suggests an increased involvement of organised crime syndicates in the illicit ivory trade, connecting African source countries with Asian end-use markets. 

According to the latest statistics, more than 14,000 products made from the tusks and other body parts of elephants were seized last year  an increase of more than 2,000 since 2007.The Etis data shows that such crime syndicates have become stronger and more active over the last decade. 

Etis analysis identifies Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Thailand as the three countries most heavily implicated in the global illicit ivory trade. china, which along with Japan was an approved destination of the legal Cites sanctioned one-off ivory sale in 2008, faces a persistent illegal trade challenge from its nationals no based in Africa.

Ongoing evidence highlights widespread involvement of overseas chinese in the illicit procurement of ivory, a problem that needs to be addressed through aggressive outreach and awareness initiative directed at chinese communities living in Africa, the report says. 

Situation has really become alarming and scientists estimate that between 8% and 10% of Africa's elephants are now being killed each year to meet the high ivory demand. World's largest animals are once again under great jeopardy, and many of them are being each year viciously slaughtered by merciless poachers that care only for money.

Sadly, as long as there is high demand for ivory, merciless elephant poaching will continue, and the solution to this problem is hard to find. One fact is sure, elephants, especially the ones in Africa, need much more protection because poaching gangs are becoming more and more organized, and there are not enough rangers to stop them.

Another big problem is hunger in Africa that is becoming worse and worse, especially as many African countries are suffering terrible drought, and people are hungry without food and money. Hungry people are desperate people, and poaching brings good money, so many local people turn to elephant poaching.

Current estimates say that more than 40,000 elephants were killed last year. Stop this slaughter!