Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Last century: elephant populations declined massively due to the legal ivory trade, together with habitat destruction and increased agricultural production.

1979-89: uncontrolled ivory poaching from 1979 to 1989 halved Africa’s elephant population from 1.3 million to 600,000. 

1989: Born Free helped encourage CITES² to ban the ivory trade.  The price of ivory crashed and markets in Europe and USA closed.  But a handful of African countries wanted to resume trade. 

1997: despite Born Free’s best efforts, CITES approved the sale of 40 tonnes of ivory from Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to Japan.  Born Free predicted that poaching would continue (see next panel). 

1998-99: at least 6,000 elephants were killed and 17,000kg of ivory seized by customs.  Born Free estimated this represented just 10-20% of the total slaughter and campaigned to ban the global ivory trade once more.

2000: CITES agreed ‘no more trade’ despite pressure from four southern African countries to sell more ivory to Japan. 

2002: Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa received permission to sell 60 tonnes of ivory stockpiles.  Since 1998 Born Free and SSN estimate at least 90,000kg of illegal ivory has been confiscated by customs, ie 13,000 elephants slaughtered by poachers.  And this is just the ‘Tip of the Tusk’, the small visible part of the global ivory racket.

2004: to Born Free’s dismay, CITES approved Namibia’s proposal for ‘non-commercial’ (tourist) trade in worked ‘ekipas’ (cultural ivory carvings).

2007: The stockpile sales approved in 2002 are expanded from 60 tonnes to 110 tonnes.  Additionally, the African elephant range States agree to implement a 9 year moratorium on elephant discussions at CITES.

2009: Tanzania and Zambia submit proposals seeking to exploit a loophole in the 2007 moratorium agreement.  They are seeking to downlist their elephant populations to Appendix II, and to trade in over 110 tonnes of ivory.

2010: Born Free plays a key role in successfully defeating Zambia and Tanzania’s proposals to reduce protection for their elephant populations and sell ivory at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES. More here: http://www.bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/elephants/news/article/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=486

 
For more information, log onto www.bloodivory.org

²Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.  CITES regulates trade in threatened animals and plants.

CITES is a UN convention which seeks to prevent endangered or threatened species of animals and plants being devastated by unregulated international trade.  CITES meets every 3 years to debate trade Proposals put forward by 175 member Parties (countries).  CITES places ‘at risk’ species in two main categories: Appendix II monitors and regulates trade; Appendix I imposes a commercial trade ban.  Born Free, as part of SSN, helps ensure delegates have the information they need to make the right decisions, and fights to uphold the highest possible levels of protection.  Born Free battles against those determined to exploit, hunt, kill and trade wildlife.  This includes countless wealthy ‘pro-trade’ organizations.