(SA- CH): SAfrica activists furious over China ivory auction deal

July 17, 2008

SAfrica activists furious over China ivory auction deal

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) — South African animal rights activists reacted furiously

on Wednesday after a decision to allow China to import ivory from the

region, saying it spells disaster for African elephants.

China, one of the world's biggest consumers of elephant ivory, will be

allowed to import 51 tonnes of ivory from South Africa after a Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

decision licensed the country as an ivory buyer on Tuesday.

" This sale has literally given the green light to the international poaching

syndicates and organised crime and will present a nightmare to poorly

resourced wildlife enforcement agencies in Africa, " said Animal Rights

Africa in a statement.

" In real terms this represents the death of an estimated 7,699 South African

elephants (1.8 tusks per elephant and 3.68kg per tusk). "

The group also accused South Africa's government of being " one of the main

proponents for the continuation of the immoral ivory trade. "

" Annually more than 20,000 elephants are killed for the illegal ivory trade

and Chinese nationals have already been implicated in illegal ivory seizures

by law enforcement agencies in 20 African countries. "

Other African countries, such as Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe were also

involved in the agreement.

CITES, which groups 173 countries, banned international trade in ivory in

1989. But from 1997 onwards it authorised a few African nations to hold

ivory sales at regular intervals.

ARA spokeswoman Michele Pickover said CITES was merely a pro-trade

organisation that had failed wild animals.

" What is even more abhorrent is that the South African government is already

licking its lips at the prospect of this dishonourable and blood-soaked

deal. We are also horrified that Britain and the EU supported this sale. "

China is one of the world's main destinations of illegal ivory from poached

African elephants.

South Africa recently lifted a moratorium on elephant culling after a

13-year ban saw a sharp rise in population numbers.

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United against elephant polo

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