WWF calls for ban on Thailand ivory trade
Tuesday 15 January 2013
Printable
EmailEnvironmental campaign group WWF urged Thailand today to ban all ivory trading.
It warned that rising demand for tusks is fueling an unprecedented slaughter of elephants in Africa.
WWF said "massive quantities" of African ivory are being imported illegally into Thailand, where they are carved into statues, bangles and jewelry sold to tourists.
It is illegal to sell African tusks in Thailand but ivory from domesticated elephants can be traded legally.
"It is illegal to bring ivory back home and it should no longer be on sale in Thailand," said WWF's Elisabeth McLellan.
A UN convention banned international ivory trading in 1989.
But Thai traders and smugglers have thrived because the ban doesn't cover domestic markets.
Tens of thousands of elephants were slaughtered in Africa last year and WWF says more ivory than ever before is being traded illegally.
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