African elephant tusks can be up to 10 feet long three meters and weigh up to pounds 90 kilograms , although most tusks of elephants living today are smaller. In much the same way that humans are right- or left-handed, elephants can be either right- or left-tusked, and their dominant tusk is usually smaller from wear. Elephant ivory has been considered a valued luxury material across cultures and continents for millennia. Ivory artifacts have been found on archaeological sites in Africa, Asia, and Europe, providing evidence of widespread trading.
Prized for its beauty and usefulness, ivory is durable, relatively easy to carve in fine detail, and has a smooth, lustrous appearance.
In comparison to teeth or tusks from other animals, elephant ivory has been favored because of its large size and homogenous appearance. Ivory can be sawed, carved, engraved, turned on a lathe, and polished to a high shine. It can also be bleached, stained with dyes and colorants, or painted. It is important to note that this historical use of ivory in Africa was limited, generally reserved for individuals of high status and did not put elephant populations at risk. These animals were seen as powerful and dangerous, and owning ivory was a status marker.
Ivory topped staffs, such as those made by Kongo and Attie carvers, were carried as symbols of authority and wealth. Before the widespread use of guns and electric carving tools, elephant hunting and ivory carving were specialized occupations.
Within the Benin kingdom, elephant hunting and the distribution of its meat were regulated by the oba king. For every elephant killed, one tusk belonged to the king and one could be sold. Ivory was traded widely from the 15th through the 19th centuries and was prized as a luxury item not only in Africa but throughout Europe and other parts of the world.
Ivory carvings were also commissioned by foreign kings. The carved hunting horn made in the late 15th century by a Bullom or Temne artist was given as a gift by Prince Manuel of Portugal to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. With increased trade, carvers not only made items for local use but also made souvenirs for sale to foreigners.
Ivory was also exported as a raw material, and became popular for mass-produced objects such as piano keys, billiard balls, knife handles, jewelry, and other novelties.
Beginning in the 20th century, the quality and applications of plastics replaced many of the utilitarian functions of ivory. However, the international demand for ivory has continued to increase. Today, elephants are hunted at rates higher than in which they can naturally reproduce. The contemporary demand for ivory has been compared to that of diamonds, in that they are both natural materials with little inherent value but their culturally constructed value, as a status symbol, is high.
Similarly, the demand for both materials in wealthy parts of the world causes violence and destruction in the areas where these natural materials are found. Currently the country with the highest demand for ivory is China, followed by Japan, Thailand, and the United States. The goals of recently publicized ivory crush-and-burn events, aside from removing ivory from the market, are to reverse the idea of ivory as a status symbol and shrink its market value, in an effort to decrease demand and illegal hunting.
With increased human populations and activities such as land development, infrastructure construction, logging, and mining, elephants are losing their habitats and facing declining populations.
The greatest threat, by far to elephants today however, is poaching illegal killing , spurred by the global demand for ivory. Unlike deer that shed and regrow their antlers yearly, elephants do not shed their tusks; they must be killed or severely injured to harvest their ivory. Poachers and sellers are part of an illegal, underground black market that is connected with other types of illegal activity, such as terrorist groups.
Ivory consumption also has a human cost. While rangers have the challenging job of protecting animals, they also face personal risk and may be estranged from their communities for carrying out their duties. Conversely, individuals may turn to poaching as a means of supporting their families and, if arrested or killed in the process, may leave their families without a provider.
African elephants are particularly susceptible to poaching because local authorities face challenges in oversight and protection due to limited government resources and difficulties in accessing their habitats. African elephants are likely to become endangered and face a high risk of extinction in the future. The World Wildlife Fund estimates there are approximately , African elephants in the wild today, compared to three to five million during the 19th century.
During the s African elephant populations decreased by almost 50 percent. Since monitoring began approximately 30 years ago, has been the worst year on record, with the largest amount of illegal ivory confiscated worldwide.
It has been estimated that 35, elephants are illegally killed each year for their ivory. Asian elephants are still threatened by poaching but not all Asian elephants have tusks. Regulations differ depending on the source of the ivory, whether from African or Asian elephants. A summary of common questions related to African elephant ivory regulations is presented below. These laws are complex and subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, contact the U.
Trained rangers in these parks are the first line of defense against poachers. Additionally, many wildlife protection organizations such as the FWS African Elephant Conservation Fund , World Wildlife Fund , and Wildlife Conservation Society , partner with local agencies and communities in Africa to support elephant conservation initiatives. These activities include monitoring elephant populations, protecting habitats, implementing anti-poaching tactics, tracking illegal trade, and increasing education.
Elephant populations in some protected areas, such as in Kenya and Tanzania have stabilized or increased due to these conservation methods. The greatest numbers of African elephants today are found in northern Botswana, followed by Tanzania. Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian is committed to raising awareness of the illegal poaching of elephants and the illicit trade of ivory.
In the first decade of the 21st century, there was evidence of demand for ivory as an inflation-proof investment commodity, though recent trading restrictions, especially in China, seem to have reduced this pressure. However, prescribed conditions such as in EU regulations for antique ivory pre , pre-convention worked ivory acquired before the date on which CITES or the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations became applicable and raw ivory, are complicating the matter.
New ivory is also being illegally sold under this exemption, making the issue even more complex. Any trade in ivory, even where legal, causes consumer and enforcement confusion, and provides a cover for the laundering of illegally sourced ivory.
Although this creative idea may seem like a quick solution, it is not sustainable. Dying the tusks of elephants would involve capturing and sedating the animals. This process would likely cause great risk and distress to the animals that could be detrimental to individuals and herds. In addition to the risks associated with anesthetizing an animal as massive as an elephant let alone a whole herd , tusks continually grow. At this rate, we would have to re-dye the elephants' tusks annually—an unfeasible task in size.
To end elephant poaching and the trade of ivory, we must break every link in the trade chain, from poaching to trafficking to demand. IFAW works to do this in a variety of ways. We work with government officials in Malawi and Zambia to strengthen the capacity of law enforcers and set up anti-poaching units that extend beyond borders in combating wildlife crime and trafficking of wildlife products.
In Kenya and Tanzania, we train wildlife rangers and other law enforcement officials in intelligence gathering and data analysis. We also work with the judicial system to ensure they are able to effectively prosecute those committing wildlife crime. Many people become poachers because they have limited economic alternatives. IFAW works with local communities to create job opportunities that directly and indirectly protect elephants.
Instead of hunting elephants, people can now join ranger training programs, become community informants, maintain park vehicles, or sew ranger uniforms. To save elephants from ivory poaching, we need to shut down ivory markets, both offline and online, and change the mindset of consumers. Public awareness campaigns are critical for spreading awareness and changing consumer mindsets. Sam B. Edwards, 7 Animal L. Manley, 38 Fordham Int'l L. Brown , F. Deukmejian, F.
Plaintiff filed suit challenging the California Penal Code, specifically sections o and r. Plaintiff manufactured boots from the hides of animals, including the hides of the African elephant, the Indonesian python, and the Wallaby kangaroo.
Section o and r of the California Penal Code prevented plaintiff from selling his boots in California because the provisions forbid the sale of products made from dead bodies, or any part of the elephant, python, or kangaroo. The plaintiff also argued that the provisions were unconstitutional because of the burden placed on interstate commerce which violates the Commerce Clause of the U. The court looked to whether or not the provisions were expressly or impliedly preempted and determined that because the provisions were not expressly preempted the court needed to do an analysis of implied preemption.
Looking to legislative history, the court found that Congress did not intend to preempt the provisions of the California Penal Code with the enactment of the ESA.
Lastly, the court held that the California statue was not a burden on interstate commerce because Congress was aware of the existence of the California provisions and decided that the ESA would not affect the California provisions.
Prohibition on purchase and sale of ivory and rhinoceros horn; exceptions; criminal penalties West's Ann. New Jersey - A Prohibition on import, sale, purchase, etc. Illegal ivory articles and rhinoceros horns McKinney's E.
National Geographic commissioned the creation of artificial tusks with hidden GPS trackers that were planted in the smuggling supply chain. Related cases H.
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