UN meeting could approve sale of ivory

GENEVA – The sale of 60 tons of elephant ivory – normally banned under international conservation rules- could be approved at a United Nations-sponsored meeting this week.

The UN Environment Programme said Friday that signatories to the 1989 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) would hold talks in Geneva from today until Wednesday, and that limited ivory sales would be on the agenda. A final decision on approving limited ivory trade, already agreed to in principle in 2002, will depend on whether data collected on illegal killing of elephants shows that populations have recovered sufficiently.The ivory comes from elephants in southern African herds, where tusks are taken from animals that have died of natural cause or been subject to emergency culling.If agreed, Botswana would be allowed to export 20 tons of ivory, Namibia 10 tons and South Africa 30 tons.Japan and China are bidding to buy the ivory, according to the UN Environment Programme.Earlier this month, wardens in Chad’s Zakouma National Park discovered the carcasses of 10 elephants stripped of their tusks and said more may have been slaughtered by poachers operating in the area.Conservationists argue that any ivory trading threatens elephant populations by creating commercial incentives for poachers.Advocates of the sales say that trading in ivory from well-managed herds can benefit local populations and help pay for conservation efforts.Nampa-APA final decision on approving limited ivory trade, already agreed to in principle in 2002, will depend on whether data collected on illegal killing of elephants shows that populations have recovered sufficiently.The ivory comes from elephants in southern African herds, where tusks are taken from animals that have died of natural cause or been subject to emergency culling.If agreed, Botswana would be allowed to export 20 tons of ivory, Namibia 10 tons and South Africa 30 tons.Japan and China are bidding to buy the ivory, according to the UN Environment Programme.Earlier this month, wardens in Chad’s Zakouma National Park discovered the carcasses of 10 elephants stripped of their tusks and said more may have been slaughtered by poachers operating in the area.Conservationists argue that any ivory trading threatens elephant populations by creating commercial incentives for poachers.Advocates of the sales say that trading in ivory from well-managed herds can benefit local populations and help pay for conservation efforts.Nampa-AP