May29,2015:MorethansixhundredkilogramsofconfiscatedivoryandivoryproductsareshowntothemediabeforebeingdestroyedinBeijingbyChina鈥檚StateForestryAdministrationandGeneralAdministrationofCustoms.VCGAboutthreemonthsago,KenyanwildlifeconservationistDaphneSheldrick,knowntomanyas鈥渆lephants鈥檃doptedmother,鈥漰assedawayat83afterdevotingherwholelifetoelephantprotection.HerbookTheOrphansofTsavotouchedmanyChinesepeopleandilluminatedthemabouttheimportanceofprotectingtheanimal.
OnJanuary1,2018,Chinabannedalltradeinivory,imposingstiffpenaltiesonanyonecaughtbuyingorsellingivoryproductsintheChinesemainland.
Sincethen,everytradingmarketforivoryproductsintheChinesemainlandhasbeenshutdown,resultinginadramaticdropinivoryproducttrading.
AGoodModel
IvoryartwarehasplayedanimportantroleintraditionalChinesecultureandmanyChinesepeoplestilladoreivoryproducts.So,foralongtime,ivorytradewasacceptableinChina.
Butinrecentyears,thepublicawarenessaboutelephantprotectionhasincreasedexponentially.In2016,Chinaannouncedabanonallivorytradeandprocessingactivitiesbytheendof2017.Duringthesixmonthsafterthebanwentintoeffect,Chinashutdown172companiesengagedinprocessingorsellingivoryandsuspendedonlineretailerswhilestrengtheningthefightagainstillegaltransportingandsmugglingofivoryandivoryproducts.
OnMay29,2018,acrackdownagainstivorysmugglingbyBeijingCustomsseizedsixtusks鈥攖he13thsuchbustthisyear.Sincethebeginningof2018,theChinesegovernmenthaslaunchedspecialcampaignstofightendangeredspeciessmugglingincludingivory,confiscating158ivoryartworksandbustingadozensmugglingrings.
鈥淭hebanisthefruitoftheeffortsoftheChinesegovernmentandinsightfulactivistsfromacrossChinaandaroundtheworld,鈥漝eclaresProfessorQinTianbao,vicedeanoftheSchoolofLawanddirectoroftheResearchInstituteofEnvironmentalLawatWuhanUniversity.鈥淚vorytradingisstilllegalinmanycountries,whichworriesanimalprotectionorganizationsbecausehuntershaveconsiderableeconomicmotivationtokillelephants.鈥漄inbelievesChina鈥檚movetobanivorytradesetsashiningexampleforothercountries.
June21,2018:AnelephantdrinksatawateringholeintheAmboseliNationalPark.Inthepastfiveyears,about150,000elephantswerekilledbypoaching,oneevery15minutes.Atthisrate,thelargestmammalontheplanetwillbeextinctin15years.VCGMarketEffects
ManyanimalprotectionorganizationshailChina鈥檚banasa鈥渕ilestoneforglobalwildlifeprotection.鈥漃eterKnights,founderofWildAid,proclaimed,鈥淐hina鈥檚exitfromivorytradeisthegreatestsinglesteptowardsreducingelephantpoaching.鈥滱ndhecalledforothercountriestofollow.
ChinahasconsistentlybeenmonitoredbyanimalprotectionorganizationsbecauseAsiancountriesincludingChinacomposeanimportantconsumermarketforivory.Duetohistorical,culturalandtraditionalfactorsinmanyAsiancountrieswhicharehometoancientcivilizations,manypeopleremainfondofexquisiteivoryproducts,consideringthemasymbolofsocialstatusandidentity.
Inthepastfiveyears,about150,000elephantswerekilledbypoaching,oneevery15minutes.Atthatrate,thelargestmammalontheplanetwillbeextinctin15years.ThisgrimforecastpromptedChina鈥檚issuanceoftheban.