Zimbabwe raises US$450 000 from ivory sale

Zimbabwe raises US$450 000 from ivory sale

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Posted to the web: 03/11/2008 14:52:57
ZIMBABWEAN officials say they have sold almost 4 tons of ivory for over $450,000 and the money will go to the country's cash-strapped wildlife authorities.

Monday's sale in the Zimbabwean capital Harare is part of a series of elephant ivory auctions being held in the region for the first time in a decade.

Last year the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species ruled that Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe could sell 108 tons of stockpiled ivory to approved Japanese and Chinese buyers.

Once known for its natural beauty and wealth of wildlife, Zimbabwe's economic crisis has left authorities battling to maintain the country's parks. Poaching is increasing as hungry Zimbabweans look for alternative sources of food.

The auction started in Botswana (October 28 and 30) and was set to move every three days through Zimbabwe (November 3) until it finally reaches South Africa on November 6.

The United Nations' Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) has allowed the countries to sell elephant ivory in a one-off trade, skirting a ban on dealing in the product until 2016.

China was approved in July this year as a buyer of legally stockpiled Zimbabwean elephant ivory. The transaction was carried under strict conditions.

To gain approval, China had to convince Cites it had put in place adequate measures to tackle any illegal domestic ivory trade and to regulate legal trade effectively.

"Now that China has been approved, it has an opportunity to assist African countries, particularly in Central Africa, where elephant poaching and domestic trade goes unchecked, to improve law enforcement capacity, and support conservation programmes," said Crawford Allan, director of TRAFFIC North America - the wildlife trade monitoring network back in July.

Zimbabwe got its approval as a seller by Cites in 2007 following South Africa, Namibia and Botswana’s approval in 2002.

The sale was approved because Zimbabwe has a surplus of elephants, although the elephant is considered endangered in other parts of the continent such as Kenya.

China was previously barred from participating because of concerns it was buying smuggled ivory.

Commercial trade in ivory was banned by Cites in 1989, but in 1999, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe were permitted to make a one-time sale of 50 tons to Japan to raise US$5 million for conservation.
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