Victory for hippopotami, narards, orche and sperm whale! The United Kingdom extends the ban on ivory trade

A great victory for the conservation of wildlife: on January 28, The United Kingdom has extended its ban on ivory tradenow also included Hippopotami, narards, orche and sperm whale. The announcement, by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), marks a significant step in the Fight against poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

The Ivory Act, approved in 2018 and in force since 2022, initially focused on the protection of elephants, making the purchase and sale of ivory objects illegaleven ancient. Now, the law has been expanded for prohibit the import, export and trade of ivory items of these four additional species.

Why these species?

Ivory, a precious material obtained from teeth and zanne, has long been used for the production of jewelry, piano keys and religious ornaments. This led to the poaching and illegal hunting of numerous species, including the elephants, which have been decimated in recent decades.

After the elephants, Hippopotami are the most risk species due to the trade in their ivory. “Hippopotami are driven out of fraud for their giant teeth,” said the defra.

All four species They are listed in the International Commerce Convention of Species of Fauna and Flora threatened of extinction (Cites). Hippopotami and sperm whale are also classified as “vulnerable” to the information In the red list of threatened species of the International Union for the conservation of nature (IUCN).

These species face multiple threats, including pollution, armed conflicts and climate change effects. The ivory trade adds further pressure, jeopardizing their survival.

A historical ban

The prohibition extended to the Avorio was welcomed by environmentalists. Mary CreaghInternational Minister for Nature, he called it “An important moment for all lovers of wildlife“.

The Ivory Act is one of the most severe prohibitions in the world“, Said Creagh. “This new government is demonstrating global leadership by sanctioning these protections in the law to counter the poaching of these iconic animals”. Anyone who breaks the rules risks an unlimited fine or up to five years in prison.

A step forward for global conservation

The expansion of the ban will contribute to strengthening the application of the law, reducing the risk that illegal elephant ivory is passed off by ivory of other species. In addition, the prohibition is expected to have a positive impact on ivory online trade, which According to the Investigations of the NGO Born Free, it has already decreased significantly after the introduction of Ivory Act in 2022.

Born Free, an organization that played a crucial role in the approval of Ivory Act, welcomed the extension of the ban, underlining the importance of continuous monitoring to evaluate its effectiveness.