Hong Kong Government Collaborates With China In Phasing Out Ivory Trade

This week, animal rights activists in Hong Kong are celebrating a huge win as their plea to eliminate global ivory trade has been heard. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying announced in his annual policy address that the country will phase out on ivory trading in collaboration with China.

CNN reported that Hong Kong was allegedly the world’s largest retail market for ivory and a facilitator of illegal ivory transport into mainland China.

“The Government is very concerned about the illegal poaching of elephants in Africa,” Leung said in his speech, “It will kick start legislative procedures as soon as possible to ban the import and export of elephant hunting trophies.”

Hong Kong’s government has also vowed to impose heavy penalties against those who partake in illegal ivory trade and importation

China reportedly has better laws regarding ivory trade compared to Hong Kong.

According to Huffington Post, 30,000 African elephants are killed every year for their tusks, hence putting the species at a risk of extinction.  The government has reportedly begun a crackdown on the illegal trade, and the action is already making a difference.

Earth Torch News Network asserted that the activist group initially began pinning down perpetrators three years ago, although the government was not so keen on doing the same. Additionally, reports indicate that the import and export of ivory have been banned in Hong Kong since 1989. However, there have been loopholes in the enforcement of such prohibition, thus allowing the trade to propagate.

Meanwhile, an estimated 16.7 tons of ivory have been confiscated in Hong Kong for the past three years.

In other news, animal rights activists are calling other Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, to emulate China, Hongkong and the United States in banning the domestic trade of ivory.

Wild Life reported that new fears arise as South Africa is planning to propose the re-opening of a regulated trade of rhino horn. Once the bill is passed, elephant poachers are likely to venture into rhino poaching to supply investors.