Ivory

Central Africa has been identified as one of the main sources of illegal ivory fueling unregulated domestic ivory trade throughout West and Central Africa and overseas destinations, especially Asia, in recent years. This report presents the results of field surveys of ivory markets carried out in 11 cities of five Central African countries in 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2015 by two different researchers, one in 2007 and 2009, and another in 2014 and 2015, using the same methodology.

Hong Kong was once a prominent trading centre for ivory in the 1970s and 1980s, but the industry contracted considerably following the implementation of CITES trade restrictions in 1990, and waning demand from traditional overseas consumers. However, resurgence in international ivory trade activity in the past decade, both legal and illegal, have also reinvigorated Hong Kong’s local ivory market. This has led many conservation advocates to campaign for a ban on ivory trade in Hong Kong.

Malaysia is the world’s paramount illicit ivory transit country. To better understand this trade dynamic, TRAFFIC assessed information from ivory seizures -- made either by Malaysian authorities, or outside the country but with Malaysia identified as part of the trade chain -- from a period of over 11 years (from January 2003 to May 2014).

This report provides a summary overview of Bangkok’s ivory marketplace, and provides comparisons with TRAFFIC’s previous market surveys in 2013 and early 2014.

These guidelines are intended for worldwide use, with the aim of facilitating the use of forensic science to the fullest extent possible in order to combat wildlife crime, and in particular, to combat the trade in illegal ivory. They provide guidance on procedures and methodologies for ivory sampling and analysis by different laboratories with appropriate facilities, to support transnational criminal investigations and law enforcement operations.