U.S. to strengthen restrictions elephant ivory

The proposed rule would ban the sale of ivory from African elephants, which have long been targeted by poachers for the U.S. and Asian markets.

President Obama announced Saturday he is proposing a new ban on the sale of “virtually all ivory across state lines”.

“This is an issue not just about protecting elephants, but alleviating poverty, spurring economic growth, and fighting off people intent on destroying governments and terrorizing communities”, said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society, in an emailed statement.

The new rule, which will be published Wednesday for a 60-day public comment period, would make it harder for ivory traffickers to use loopholes sell product, according to Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.

Obama, in a joint news conference with Kenya’s president in Nairobi, said the restrictions will eliminate the market for illegal ivory in the United States.

Over the years, the United States has grown to be the second-largest consumer for poached ivory, while often serving as a conduit for the products to the world’s largest consumer, China.

Americans would be nonetheless allowed by the proposed improvements to sell ivory across express collections, but only when it fulfills with the stringent criteria of the collectibles exemption. NRDC doesn’t support ANY hunting of endangered species like elephants. The National Rifle Association has warned the rule could ban the sale of many firearms with ivory inlays.

Many buyers can be duped by fraudulent documents, if the buyer requests documentation at all.

Certain manufactured items that contain a little bit of ivory – including audio instruments and ivory-treated markers – survived the cut, nevertheless the new guideline will also suspend interstate revenue of so called game-hunted awards and ivory which was imported included in a home shift or bequest.

The Obama administration – as part of a global effort to combat poaching – has increased its efforts to reduce the market for illegal ivory in the past year, with a pledge to use U.S. intelligence agencies to track and target those who benefit from the trade, estimated at $20 billion a year.

We don’t see a problem with a de minimis exception, which is similar to the one contained in ivory legislation NRDC helped pass in New York previous year.

“What we need is to send a message to traffickers that this is unacceptable, that you can not get away with this”, Calvelli said.

Kenyan police officers inspect 302 pieces of ivory, including 228 elephant tusks, found and seized in a warehouse during a raid in the port city of Mombasa in June past year.