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5 Comments

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  Osakadaz at 11:22 AM JST - 10th October

  It is because these two countries still use it and still want it,that this poaching continues.pfffft.

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  muchogrande at 12:09 PM JST - 10th October

  Whale bone would make a perfectly good substitute.

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  boonme at 01:05 PM JST - 10th October

  This may initially feed Asian demand for Ivory but the move could back fire by creating even more demand for the white gold. Instead this could lead to further poaching pressures in the future. I fear it is a slippery slope.

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  davidattokyo at 05:08 PM JST - 10th October

  Osakadaz - Yeah well the demand isn't going to go away, and that demand is an incentive for people to not drive elephants to extinction. What also comes with the demand is a will to pay good money for products. And the countries who are struggling with these issues need more cash. So CITES agreed to turn a negative into a positive and allow the use of the ivory on the condition that funds be poured back into managing elephant populations on a sustainable basis in areas where they believe it will work. A legal source of ivory is a disincentive for people to pay poor people in these countries to kill more illegally. Plus elephants die naturally as well. That's good ivory right there as well.

  EIA complains, but then they would - complaining about the use of wildlife is what groups like EIA are all about (they prefer the Bambi Disney ideal for the world).

  boonme - Supplying a demand should mean that demand for ivory is satisfied to some extent, rather than the reverse.

  The problem as it always is is that often people start using these "free" resources without any coordination, and then it results in over-exploitation. Banning an activity seems like a reasonable short term solution, but longer term the smart way to go is to set up a framework in which these activities can restart and continue but on a sustainable basis. This is best for humans and ensures species conservation for our future generations to enjoy.

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  Papawhale at 11:10 PM JST - 10th October

  Whalebone, Muchogrande? I suppose the whaling industry in Japan is still alive, even after the truth about tax subsidies to the Japanese whalers came out last year. One would hope that the new Admin. will review that with some understanding that it's time for the murderous, cruel whaling to STOP. Let's hope the Japanese people get fed up with the excesses and corruption in Taibbi and elsewhere in Japan. And David, you're reasoning is sound except for one thing--exploiting animals still being poached for human consumption is dangerous for all animals and promotes poaching. Why not educate people to use other materials instead? I love a good carving as much as anyone but not at the expense of a dead elephant.

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