Ivory Poaching

Ivory poaching A ban was imposed in 1989 banning the international trade in ivory to reverse a rapid decline in the population of African elephants. But to no avail. Illegal hunting and killing of elephants remains a sad reality in Africa despite the ban. Here we examine how the beasts continue to be slaughtered to satisfy global demand for ivory. Asian elephant Elephas maximus African bush elephant Lanodonta Africana Decline of the African elephant Elephant population. Estimated dates • Elephant range in 1979 • Elephant range in 2007 Ivory seizures in Asia (1989-2011) Weight of seizures in kg Number of elephants Eritrea 96 Japan 8,618 China 41,095 Ghinea 135 Mali Benin 357 1,223 Niger 85 Chad 3.885 Hong Kong 20,630 Taiwan Burkina Faso Sudan 20 18,370 Nigeria eral African Rep. Ethiop 634 6,758 India Vietnam 13,426 Thailand Ivory Соая 188 - Philippines 10,659 21,364 Cameroon 179 Ghana 789 Dem. Rep Congo 2,447 Singapore 8,028 Togo Gabon 1,523 Malaysia - -Tanzania 108.816 8,527 Angola 818 History of seizures in Asia Weight of seizures in kg of raw and worked ivory Zambia Malawi 16,562 2011 Zimbabwe 84,416 38,809 Namibia 12,531 30k - 18,973 Botswana Mozambique 14,079 25% of the tusk is inside the elephant's head 133,829 South Afrika 17,847 Swaziland 31 Total population Both male and female African elephants have tusks, as opposed to Asian elephants where only males have them 1,130,000 7,200 An example: decline in Zambia Seizures in Hong Kong In kg 4.000 Tusk extraction 2,700 2900 3.300 600,000 1 Tusks are easier to remove from an elephant corpse 1977 405,000 355,000 2002 2004 2006 2008 (" January to October, 2013 2007 1979 1989 2013 16,562 A luxury object 2 Poachers need to cut off a big portion of the elephant's head as it contains 256 of tusk vory has played an important role for thousands of years, being used as objects for worship and practical necessities, from statues of saints to piano keys. Following the industrial revolution, the material was slowly replaced by plastic, but ivory is still valued as an item of luxury and status in certain parts Mutilated Hunting methods area Up close To facilitate the poach, traps are placed on the ground to immobilise the animal Internal Skull nare -Big nails -Wooden base Large ivory figure of a woman probably a table leg, Bagram, Afghanistan Poachers use chain-saws and axes to get to the ivory Large calibre rifle Bolt action firearm for high calibres ist century AD 10.57mm 416 calibre Lower jaw with Pulp cavity molar teeth of the tusk Actual size of the bullet 95.25mm Cross section of a tusk Enamel only in the tip of the tusk One half of a pair of ivory tusks worth HK$8.2 million that was on sale at the The shot Brain Dentine The poacher needs to be close to the elephant in order to make an effective shot at its vital organs Cementum Chinese Arts & Crafts in Hong Kong on November 2013 Lung and heart Range 25-50 metres -Crossed striations, similar to a net pattern Concentric rings reveal faint lines for each year of growth Nerve canal Other illegal trade in Asia Tiger Rhino Bear Chinese pangolin Clouded leopard Turtles "I, Parts such as bones, eyes, whiskers and teeth are used to treat diseases in traditional Chinese medicine Powdered rhinoceros horn is used as an aphrodisiac in traditional Chinese medicine The gall bladder and other parts of its body are also used in traditional Chinese medicine Fetuses, scales and blood; also stuffed and sold Skins, claws and teeth are used for decoration and fashion, while bones and meat are seen as an alternative to tiger For food consumption. The hawksbill sea turtle is protected but many species are not as souvenirs Sources: Traffic, OITES, Save the Elephants, The African Elephant Specialist Group. Born Free Foundation, IUON, Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, WWF, Northern Rangelands Trust. National Geographic, "Poaching Wars With Tom Hardy"-tv SOMP Graphic: Adolfa Arrant