General Provisions

International trade ban for ivory

CITES has to install a total ivory trade ban like in 1989 with all elephants of all countries listed on CITES Appendix I (highest protection). At present the elephants of South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana are still listed on Appendix II which means less protection. At CITES CoP17 conference in 2016, Botswana voluntarily put its elephants under the protection level of Appendix I.

The other 3 named countries intend to trade with ivory as soon as possible again. This must be avoided.

National ivory trade ban

All nations on this planet have to ban the trade of ivory in any form within their borders. Particularly China and Hong Kong, the world's biggest ivory markets, have to close their ivory shops and factories. The closure of these markets has been announced in 2016, but has to be carried through consequently and has to be controlled. The complete closure of the Hong Kong market is scheduled until 2021 only and has to be sped up. Vietnam and other countries surrounding China are already starting to take over China's role in the ivory trade and their trade has to be stopped urgently, too.

Online trade ban

Online shops worldwide have to remove all items of ivory from their scope of supply, as well as any body parts else of elephants and other endangered animals.

Ban trophy hunting

Trophy hunting of endangered animal species has to be banned immediately and globally. Every year, CITES allowes approximately 1,000 elephants to be killed by trophy hunters. This also contributes to the extinction of elephants.

Reduce the demand

The demand for ivory has to be decreased considerably. People in the target countries of ivory (mostly in Asia) have to be educated and informed that ivory indeed comes from dead elephants and that each purchase of an ivory item kills another elephant. Many people still believe that elephant tusks just fall out and grow back. Ownership and purchase of ivory have to be outlawed.

Destroy ivory stockpiles

Ivory stockpiles of all nations must be destroyed. Each new seizure of ivory should be destroyed immediately after taking the necessary DNA samples for research purposes.

Fight contraband

Trade routes have to be controlled much better. Customs authorities have to rigorously monitor the imports and exports at sea- and airports in Africa, Asia, and internationally (e.g. with the use of sniffer dogs). The countries of origin, the transit countries as well as the target countries of ivory are concerned.

Higher penalties for poaching

Poaching in African and Asian countries has to be punished much harder and the penalties have to be enforced accurately. In some countries punishments are still ridiculously low.

Higher penalties for trafficking

Penalties for smuggling and illegal trade of wildlife products have to be increased drastically around the globe.

Local communities

a) Poachers and their families living close to protected areas have to be provided with alternative ways of earning money (e.g. in tourism, as guides or rangers) so that poaching is not so enticing. Many poachers are poor and see no other way to feed their families.

b) The communities living close to national parks have to be educated about the value of LIVING elephants.

c) Human-wildlife conflict has to be reduced, e.g. by fences or partial fences, bee fences, and compensation payments.

Article: "Eduction has saved more wildlife than any guard with a gun”

https://news.mongabay.com/2017/07/on-poaching-in-south-africa-education-has-saved-more-wildlife-than-any-guard-with-a-gun/

Fight corruption!

Trafficking of ivory is only possible because of rampant corruption in state authorities and governments in the origin, transit and target countries and has to be combatted seriously.

Reduce poaching considerably

Elephant habitats must be protected better against poaching. Thorough control of the area, for example by more rangers, drones, vets, areal survey a.s.o.,  has to be provided and funded.

Preserve elephant habitats

For the preservation of elephant habitats comprehensive measures have to be taken:

- Solve human-elephant conflicts (see above)

- Education of communites

- Installation of elephant corridors between habitats

- Stimulation of photo-tourism in elephant habitats

- Reduction of human population

   a.s.o.

Create worldwide awareness

Worldwide awareness about the imminent extinction of elephants has to be created. The conservation of the wonders of the world should be in everybody's interest, and elephants are definitely one of these wonders!