China Bans Elephant Ivory

[Jacob]

Seedy, this thread is just for you

BEIJING — China will gradually stop the processing and sales of ivory for commercial purposes by the end of 2017, according to the central government website on Dec 30.

The decision came after the country imposed a three-year ban on ivory imports in March this year in an escalated fight against illegal trading of wild animals and plants.

The move will affect the country's 34 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading venues, with dozens to be closed by the end of March 2017, according to an official with the State Forestry Administration.

Before that deadline, law enforcement agencies will continue to clamp down on illegalities associated with the elephant's tusk, the official said.

http://english.gov.cn/policies/latest_releases/2016/12/31/content_281475529438291.htm

Animal welfare and conservation groups worldwide are applauding China's decision.

World Wildlife Foundation president and CEO Carter Roberts called it "a game changer for elephant conservation".

In a press release, the Wildlife Conservation Society's Asia Director, Aili Kang wrote, "This is great news that will shut down the world's largest market for elephant ivory. I am very proud of my country for showing this leadership that will help ensure that elephants have a fighting chance to beat extinction."

The Chinese government also plans to launch a public awareness campaign about the brutalities of the ivory trade to discourage consumers, a move through which conservation groups have seen success in China in the past.


The IFAW's influential anti-ivory PSA. International Fund for Animal Welfare / Via voices.nationalgeographic.com

A four-year anti-ivory campaign by the International Fund for Animal Welfare — which depicted a young elephant excited about his new tusks walking with his mother — reached 75% of the urban Chinese population.

A 2013 survey showed that this specific PSA had reduced the number of Chinese people likely to purchase ivory from 54% of the population to 26%.

[jimmy olsen]

If this isn't enforced diligently then the price will just rise due to commerce being driven underground and poaching will increase.

[The Brain]

Time to stockpile ivory soup.

[Jacob]

If this isn't enforced diligently then the price will just rise due to commerce being driven underground and poaching will increase.

From the article:

The Chinese government also plans to launch a public awareness campaign about the brutalities of the ivory trade to discourage consumers, a move through which conservation groups have seen success in China in the past.

[Monoriu]

Time to stockpile ivory soup.

Chopsticks.  I used ivory chopsticks when I was a kid. 

[alfred russel]

If this isn't enforced diligently then the price will just rise due to commerce being driven underground and poaching will increase.

That isn't how economics works.

The price may rise in China, but that is because the middlemen and distributors will make more money due to the increased risk and cost of doing business. Demand in China will almost certainly fall, which means reduced demand for the products of poaching, and ultimately a lower price paid to the poachers.

[alfred russel]

China is probably just trying to focus on importing the much more critical tiger penis and rhino horn, with ivory being a distraction.

[Monoriu]

China is probably just trying to focus on importing the much more critical tiger penis and rhino horn, with ivory being a distraction.

They serve different markets 

Tiger penis is believed to be as good as viagra.  It might have worked on a psychological level, but everybody knows there aren't any tiger penis available now. 

Rhino horn is sometimes used in traditional Chinese medicine to deal with fever, but it is certainly not a crucial ingredient.  It is used basically to overcharge patients as it is an expensive ingredient (hey we are giving you something really good so you need to pay more.)

Ivory is used primary for carving or as chopsticks.  There is a myth that ivory can detect poison, but it mostly acts as a status good. 

[CountDeMoney]

Seedy, this thread is just for you

Pros: the younger generations are becoming more sensitive to environmental and animal conservancy. 
Cons: fuckers have got to be working an angle.   

[HVC]

Even if this does work they'll just replace the ivory from a different animal. Gonna be a bad time to be a walrus.

[Monoriu]

My father-in-law has one of these crazy multi-layered "ball within a ball within a ball" ivory balls.  Every individual ball is separate and movable. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzvm_IDqyF8

[The Brain]

Time to stockpile ivory soup.

Chopsticks.  I used ivory chopsticks when I was a kid.

Isn't a spoon better?

[Richard Hakluyt]

Eating soup with chopsticks helps keep you slim 

[Monoriu]

Time to stockpile ivory soup.

Chopsticks.  I used ivory chopsticks when I was a kid.

Isn't a spoon better?

I have never seen an ivory spoon, though I used a spoon that was made of jade.  It looked great, but the hotel soon phased out all the jade spoons and bowls.  My guess is that they broke too easily. 

[alfred russel]

Even if this does work they'll just replace the ivory from a different animal. Gonna be a bad time to be a walrus.

Oh fuck. I am the walrus.