A consultation on extending the scope of the Ivory Bill 2017-19 to protect narwhals has been announced by the UK government. This would also protect hippos and walruses impacted by the ivory trade.
The Ivory Bill currently before Parliament includes a power for Ministers to extend the proposed ban on selling items made from elephant ivory for example to other ivory-bearing species, which include sperm whales and killer whales whose teeth are known to be sold. MPs discussed the idea of extending the proposed ban to include other items during the debate of the Ivory Bill in June this year, amid concerns the ban on one form of ivory could increase pressure on another.
The purpose of the Bill is to prohibit commercial activities concerning ivory in the UK and the import and re-export of ivory for commercial purposes to and from the UK, including intra-EU trade to and from the UK. The Ivory Bill has now proceeded to its third reading and report stage in the House of Commons and will move to the House of Lords for debate later this month. The UK government hopes the Ivory Bill will become law before October 2018, when they are due to host an international conference about the illegal wildlife trade. The conference will bring together global leaders to help eradicate illegal wildlife trade and better protect the world’s most iconic species from the threat of extinction.
