Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UK IVORY SALE BAN
Clampdown to halt elephant killings
PLANS for a near-total ban on ivory sales in the UK will be set out today to help end elephant poaching.
The surprise move by Environment Secretary Michael Gove comes after the Tories quietly scrapped plans for a ban on the bloodthirsty trade earlier this year.
Mr Gove warned the declines in elephant populations fuelled by poaching for their tusks “shames our generation”.
About 20,000 elephants are killed yearly, threatening the beasts with extinction in some African countries.
Conservation groups fear the lawful market for ivory in the UK is used to hide illegal trade. Existing rules allow “worked” or carved items made before March 3 1947 to be sold, though the sale of all raw ivory is outlawed. But sales of older worked items would also be banned under the planned new laws. Pianos with ivory keys, other culturally valuable objects and sales between museums would be exempt from a ban. Mr Gove said: “The need for robust action to protect one of the most treasured species is beyond dispute.
“These plans will put the UK front and centre of efforts to end the insidious trade in ivory.” WWF chief Tanya Steele said it was vital to work with other countries.
The US has a near-total ban and China and Hong Kong plan to close their markets. In other measures, the UK is training an elite force to fight poaching in Africa.