MP pledges to protect endangered elephants from the deadly ivory trade

Malcolm Moss MP for North East Cambridgeshire is taking a stand to protect thousands of endangered elephants from the brutal ivory trade.  In July, a decision may be made to allow China to buy ivory from government stockpiles in southern Africa – a move that could spell disaster for elephants.

Malcolm Moss MP is supporting the International Fund for Animal Welfare’s ivory trade campaign calling on the government to bring together EU partners to oppose China as an ivory buyer.

Ivory trade has been banned since 1989¹, however, every year approximately 20,000 elephants are killed to supply the illegal ivory trade – and this is on the increase. China is the single major destination for this illegal ivory, and has the world's largest black market for ivory.

The campaign seeks to ensure that China is not allowed to import stockpiled ivory² – a move which could see ivory from illegally killed African elephants being laundered within legal stocks, due to the country’s inadequate enforcement controls.

There is strong evidence that soaring Chinese demand for ivory is responsible for the deaths of large numbers of elephants. In Africa, Chinese citizens have been convicted of illegally trading ivory in 22 of the 37 elephant range states. Only last month, two Chinese nationals were charged with the possession and attempted smuggling of ivory out of Kenya. Whilst in March, approximately one ton of ivory was seized in Guangxi, China - representing the death of at least 80 elephants.

Malcolm Moss MPsaid: "I am proud to support IFAW’s campaign to protect elephants from being slaughtered for their tusks. These majestic creatures are being killed by poachers by the tens of thousands each year for the cruel and unsustainable trade in ivory.  I believe elephants belong in the wild and should be protected in their natural habitat for future generations. We must stamp out ivory trade before it is too late."