A Tooth for a Tooth

PARLIAMENT EXTENDS UK'S IVORY ACT TO PROTECT OTHER SPECIES

On 16th December 2024, the House of Commons approved amendments to the 2018 Ivory Act extending restrictions on the trade in ivory from elephants to also include hippo, narwhal, sperm whale and killer whales.

On 6 June 2022, the long-awaited Ivory Act 2018 was implemented, making it illegal to sell elephant ivory to, from and within the UK, with limited exemptions, but it didn't cover the teeth and tusks from hippos, walruses, warthogs and several toothed whale species which are also coveted and traded.

Wildlife organisations, like Born Free, argued that the Ivory Act should be extended to include all ivory-bearing species and in May 2023, the Government announced plans to add hippopotamus, narwhal, walrus, orca and sperm whale to the species protected but their adoption by Parliament was delayed by July's General Election.

Responding to the recent news, Born Free's Head of Policy Dr Mark Jones said:

"We're really pleased to see the extension of the Ivory Act to cover these additional species. While the Act is vital to our efforts to end elephant poaching, it's important that we don't inadvertently incentivise increased trade in ivory from other vulnerable species. Hippos in particular are targeted in large numbers for their ivory. We urge the authorities to ensure the provisions are strictly enforced, and that the situation for warthogs, who are not currently included, is kept under review."

The new provisions come into force in early January.