PJ MAPB
BACKGROUND
CITES
1. Since 1970 the number of African elephants has fallen from
approximately 2.3 million to about 700,000 elephants today, although
numbers may be as low as 300,000-400,000. Currently some
80,000-100,000 elephants are thought to be slaughtered annually,
mostly by horrific methods.
2. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Flora and Fauna (CITES) lists highly endangered species in its
Appendix I classification (which calls for a total ban on the
trading in such species), and less endangered species in its
Appendix II classification (which allows for trade in these species
subject to strict licensing control). The 400,000 (species of flora
and fauna listed in Appendix I of the Convention include the Indian
elephant, several species of dolphin, the rhinoceros, the alligator
and the arclid. But the African elephant is currently listed by
CITES as an Appendix II species, and trade in ivory from the African
Elephant is allowed, subject to strict licensing control.
3.
The UK was one of the original signatories of CITES in 1973.
Since then the UK has played in part in strengthening CITES
controls, bringing more species under its protection and encouraging
other countries to accede to it. But HMG, along with many other governments, until recently held the view that a ban on trade in the
ivory from the African elephant might not be the best or only way to
protect the elephant. It has previously been argued that if all
trade is made illegal, the scarcity value of ivory might cause prices to rise, thus providing more incentives to poachers
Furthermore, African countries would no longer be able to use the
revenue from legal trade to improve measures taken to conserve their
elephants.
4. There has been increasing doubt about the effectiveness of
existing controls. The plight of the African elephant has been the
subject of growing public concern in recent weeks. There have been
newspaper campaigns and numerous television reports highlighting the
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