In a crucial victory for animal conservation, the District of Columbia has passed legislation prohibiting the import, sale and purchase of ivory and rhinoceros horn products into law.
The Ivory and Horn Trafficking Prohibition Act of 2020, which was first introduced in 2019 by Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, was approved by Mayor Muriel Bowser on April 27.
“I am heartened to finally see the success of this bill which sends the strong message that Washingtonians are taking a stand against the destructive ivory market,” said Cheh. “Ivory dealers will no longer be able to take advantage of the lack of local laws banning the sale of ivory, and our law will help reverse the devastating decline in wild elephant and rhino populations across the globe.”
Washington D.C. had seen a substantial rise in the demand for these gruesome imports after 11 U.S. states passed similar anti-trafficking laws, which pushed the ivory and rhino horn trade into areas where sales were still legal.
“Mayor Bowser and the DC Council have taken a meaningful step towards helping to save elephants and rhinos by prohibiting the sale of their tusks and horns in the nation’s capital,” commented Cathy Liss, president of the Animal Welfare Institute. “Bans like this reduce the market for these items, thereby minimizing the role the United States plays in the devastating poaching and wildlife trafficking crisis.”
A 2019 undercover investigation by The Humane Society of the United States exposed Washington D.C.’s booming ivory trade and uncovered dozens of products for sale – from tiny figurines to a carved elephant tusk worth over $600,000.
Illegal poaching for ivory is one of the primary reasons that the African elephant population has decreased by over 30 percent between 2007 and 2014, shockingly equivalent to 144,000 animals in just seven years. It’s time to end the sale of ivory and rhino horns throughout the entire United States.
Thank you for doing that, now inforce it.
Mayor Bowser is a very good person, thanks to him from all the good people.
Thank you, great news!
Please contact President Trump, he can write Bill’s to protect animals. Thank you.
How can a man not get prison time for torturing a dying deer. This abuse will never stop till severe punishment is used. Please get in touch with President Trump. he can change laws to protect animals..Thank you for your help.
Mary Fishburn
Way to go Wash. D.C. for banning the sale of ivory and rhino horns. You guys rock! Keep up the good work in protecting the planet’s wildlife!
I’M DELIGHTED TO HEAR THIS.they should be lfft alone, like some other animals
BRAVO!!! SO HAPPY!
Good! About time!!!
PURE AWESOMENESS ❣️
The ban on the sale of ivory and horn won’t save a single elephant or rhino. The ban is part of a global initiative by foreign NGO’s to raise their profile and funds with an easy message supported by gruesome graphics. The campaign raises some $200 million from the public and governments hoodwinked by the campaign.
Some African governments have joined the foreign ban with public ivory burning, bringing in far more money than selling the ivory anyway.
Meanwhile, the mass murder of elephants for their ivory goes on undiminished because the ban is operated by foreign NGO’s, but the trade is operated by criminals, assisted by corrupt government officials in the African countries affected.
It means that the foreign NGO’s make millions, the African government officials make double millions from donors on one hand and criminals on the other, while the criminals make millions from the ivory trade.
At the same time, the African countries that look after their elephants (and in those countries, elephants are breeding like mice) and want to sell ivory to pay for conservation, can’t sell a single kilo of the stuff, so local people turn a blind eye to poachers.
All in all, the ban is killing elephants, not helping them.
Good information Howard. And to add to your comment, no matter what, there will always be corruption and indifference in the government body, poachers, criminals and a lot of unholy creatures.
Finally, Now to do it for everywhere and have a strict punishment for those caught with it. Like death on site might make it slow down alot….isses me off how sick greedy SOB’s dont even care that they are driving certain species into exctinction.
Thank God.. a This is the best news coming-out of Washington in years. These are all God’s creatures and we have an obligation to protect all of them.
Hooray…. well done to all involved…. it’s a great start.
Very glad to hear it. May others follow their example.
It’s about time! But so glad it has finally become law.
Bravo Mayor Bowser!!
Great! Hopefully, this will set a precedent for other countries to follow. Well Done !
Good news and now please ban trophy hunting and the import into the USA and GB of the dead animals slaughtered in the name of sport.
moche
Bravo for the District of Columbia for passing this critical legislation for wildlife. Tusks and horns belong to the animals.
At long last! Now we need bans on trophy hunting and other animal abuses!