FRANCE/FILE: France destroys three tonnes of illegal ivory in public as part of an effort to stop the poaching of elephant tusks

Record ID: 182411

  • Title: FRANCE/FILE: France destroys three tonnes of illegal ivory in public as part of an effort to stop the poaching of elephant tusks
  • Date: 6th February 2014
  • Summary: THE SUDD SWAMP, SOUTH SUDAN (RECENT) (REUTERS) AERIAL VIEW OF SUDD SWAMP TWO ELEPHANTS IN THE SWAMP VARIOUS OF CONSERVATIONISTS ATTACHING GPS COLLAR TO SLEEPING ELEPHANT VET MEASURING LENGTH OF TUSK
  • Embargoed: 21st February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Crime,Environment,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAB6SQBH1NDSHA4TGUFGSKRAGXT
  • Story Text: French officials destroyed on Thursday (February 6) three tons of illegal ivory seized in the past twenty years, in accordance with commitments French President Francois Hollande made to fight against poaching of endangered species.
    The 15,000 pieces destroyed -- 700 tusks, but also jewellery and sculptures -- are estimated at up to one million euros.
    The three tons of ivory, mostly elephant tusks packed in large white bags were unloaded from a lorry and laid out on a tarpaulin.
    French Ecology Minister Philippe Martin stressed during the ceremony that France was the first European country to destroy its stocks and the destruction comes a few days before the opening on February 12 in London of an international conference on endangered species.
    France wants to show solidarity with African countries, victims of poaching, Martin said before the crushing of the ivory started at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
    He recalled that according to announcements made by Hollande in December at the France-Africa summit, fines for buying illegal ivory had increased ten-fold.
    The poaching of ivory, which is produced from elephant tusks, is the cause of the near-extinction of elephants in Africa, Martin said.
    There are only half of the number of elephants left in Africa compared to 30 years ago.
    "It's a strong gesture and a message of firmness that we are sending to all those involved in trafficking, which affects the survival of the African elephant. Today, the rate of births of the species is inferior to the rate of poaching of the species, which says a lot about what direction we are headed in. (The message) is also addressed to those of do trade in rhinoceros horns, ape flesh and tiger skin," Martin said.
    Stocks destroyed Thursday are the result of customs seizures between 1987 and 2007, mainly at Charles de Gaulle airport, one of the largest in Europe.
    Head of customs at Charles de Gaulle airport Sebastien Tiran said that year after year there was a constant interest from consumers for ivory.
    "There are a lot of changes but there is one thing that doesn't change, which continues, it's the consumer's taste for ivory. Each year there are new species which appear, new phenomena like the trade of forbidden exotic pets, but ivory is always there, year after year, unfortunately. Our seizures are always at very high levels, they vary little from year to year," Tiran said.
    The message to the poachers and traffickers is clear, Tiran added, that the trafficking of ivory, even in small amounts, will be penalised.
    "There are seizures from organized trafficking, of significant amounts, which are taken mostly from air cargo. I am not sure that we will be able to make these people (traffickers) aware, the only thing that works is punishment. There are also seizures that take place in travellers terminals, off passengers who carry for themselves or to gift, a little statue, a little bracelet, a necklace. These people are not necessarily aware that what they are doing is illegal. So the goal of this kind of operation is to show that ivory trafficking is a criminal offence, which is being cracked down on, and when you buy even a small amount of ivory art or suspected pieces of ivory art, you are taking part in the trafficking," Tiran said.
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