Nearly five tonnes of ivory has been burnt in the Republic of Congo’s capital Brazzaville, while another 10 tonnes was crushed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
These two countries join Belgium, Chad, China, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Hong Kong SAR, Kenya, Philippines, Zambia and the United States which have all now destroyed all or part of their ivory stockpile. It all started in July 1989, when the Kenyan government burnt 12 tonnes of ivory - its entire stockpile - heralding in a global ban on the international trade in elephant ivory.
The news has been welcomed by conservation charity Born Free, which says in a statement: “Ivory crushes and burns have become not just practical solutions to the risks and costs of keeping ivory, but also important symbolic gestures and rallying calls to boost political support for elephant conservation and send a clear message to wildlife traffickers. Indeed, the wide spread of countries which have engaged in destruction events highlights the relevance of the issue to those beyond the conventional source and consumer nations. “
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