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ArcaMax

Isn't buying and selling ivory illegal?

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Published in Daily Trivia

Yes and no. Trade in ivory has been illegal around the world for several decades, thanks to CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, a treaty signed by more than 120 nations. The treaty covers Asian elephants, among other animals. Importing ivory from African elephants is also illegal in the US, thanks to a 1989 ban. That means killing elephants for their ivory tusks is not only morally wrong, it's a crime. But it's not necessarily a crime to purchase or sell a product made of ivory. Some ivory, such as that from extinct animals like mastodon and mammoth, isn't restricted at all. Ivory from certain other animals, like warthogs and hippopotamus, is likewise unrestricted. Ivory from African elephants CANNOT be imported into the US, but antique elephant ivory already in the US can be legally bought and sold. But remember, if you're buying illegal ivory, you're contributing to the endangerment of a species.

 


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