U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Clarify Ivory Trade Regulations

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe signed off on new revisions and administrative actions that pertain to the international trade in elephant ivory. It's a part of the Obama Administration's goal to combat wildlife trafficking.

The world has experienced a rise in the illegal wildlife trade in recent years, with ivory headlining the efforts. The year 2011 witnessed deplorable numbers: 23 metric tons of ivory from over 2,500 elephants were poached. Illegal poaches also affect tigers, which are an endangered species, and rhinos.

Director Dan Ashe announced the new provisions yesterday. The first allows musicians to transport certain musical instruments containing African elephant ivory and permits the import of museum items not intended for sale on an international scale. The owners of these items will be required to prove they were purchased legally prior to February 26, 1976 and have not been bought or sold since February 25, 2014.

February 26, 1976 was the date the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) officially listed the African elephant and February 25, 2014 was the date when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began instructing officials how to enforce restrictions of the commercial ivory trade.

"We have one goal: to shut down the illegal trade in ivory that is fueling the poaching crisis facing African elephants today," said Ashe, in this U.S. FWS news release. By implementing a near complete ban on trade in elephant ivory, we are effectively closing loopholes and eliminating the cover provided by legal commercial trade that traffickers have exploited for years. That said, we have listened to the very real concerns expressed by the regulated community and have made common-sense adjustments."

The U.S. FWS also revised a provision of the current U.S. CITES, which will now require sellers of African elephant ivory to demonstrate that any item they're offering to sell was lawfully imported based on CITES regulations and provisions.

In response to the ivory poachers, governments across the world have conducted ivory burnings to symbolize their intolerance for such actions. Hong Kong, the United States, France, and others have done so in hopes of sending a message to the thieves across the world.