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Grace Chang
Dr. Haas
Writing 37
30 January 2015
The Fall of Elephants and the Rise of Ivory
Elephants are the worlds largest terrestrial animals. These magnificent animals are
murdered every day by a minute creature compared to an elephant but are considered as one of
the most dangerous predators humans. Although United Nations Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) banned the ivory trade in 1989,
poaching African elephants and trading ivory quickly returned to out-of-control situations (Ban
the Trade). The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) works to
enforce the ban of the ivory trade to protect the African elephants, however, John Frederick
Walker, author and conservationist, proposes that a controlled legal ivory trade can reduce the
slaughter.
Elephants tusks were valuable in ancient Egypt to nineteenth century America to
modern Japan (Ivory Ghosts). It was treasured for its rarity, beauty, durability, and ability to
transform it into aesthetic figures. These tusks are elongate incisors, similar to teeth which is
embedded deep in the elephants head (Elephant Tusks). Their tusks never stop growing,
however, due to the hundred of years of hunting elephants for their ivory, it has resulted in the
big tusk gene causing it to be extremely rare (Elephant Tusks). Elephants use their tusks as
weapons against potential predators or in battle against other elephants (Elephant Tusks).
Hunting elephants occurs in many parts of the world, but is it the severest in Africa.

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In 1979, 1.3 million African elephants settled all over Africa, but a decade later, the
elephant population decreased to about 600,000 (Ban the Trade). At this rate, African elephants
may become extinct from immorally materialistic and preventable acts. After the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) banned the ivory trade in 1989, there was
some decline in the illegal killing of elephants and a temporary recovery of the population (Ban
the Trade )Africa, the stronghold for the species, experienced a heavy impact when 64% of
Central Africas elephants were massacred within ten years (Scriber). Brad Scriber, the Deputy
Research Director for National Geographic, reported that poachers have killed about 100,000
African elephants in the three years from 2010-2012. The mere existence of elephants are
essential to the life in Africa by balancing all the other species in their ecosystem, opening up
forest land to create firebreaks and grasslands, digging to create water access for other animals,
and leaving nutrients in their wake (Scriber). Because elephants play an important ecological
role, they are considered megagardeners of the forest (Scriber). These megagardeners, who
helps both the continent and the neighboring animals, lose their home and family, because people
are solely interested in the elephants tusks rather than the value these individuals encompass. On
the contrary, many people believe that with proper regulations and enforcements, a legal ivory
trade can control not only the elephants population and discourage poaching, but also meet the
market demands for ivory. John Frederick Walker, author and conservationist, argues that if
people collect tusks from elephants that died naturally, then there would be no need of poaching.
Walkers idea benefits both the elephants and the demanders without losing or feeling the guilt of
killing an innocent animal. If everyone involved in the trade agreed that no elephant would be
harmed, then a legal ivory may be possible. However, it is ultimately the humans decision that
determines the survival of the African elephants.

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John Frederick Walker questions how realistic and desirable- is ivory prohibition?
Walker believes that because ivory has been a trade item and part of some cultures for centuries;
it would be difficult to eliminate all association with it. Rather than having criminals and terrorist
groups slaughter the elephants, Walker proposes that through a legal trade, the government can
monitor the market and its demands. On the contrary, Mary Rice, the executive directory of the
Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) leading its elephant campaign, argues that an legal
trade will only raise the demand of ivory; however, tucks cannot be produced fast enough to
meet the needs. Nonetheless, because the world will not be able to seize complete ban and illegal
trade of ivory, Walker suggests that a controlled legal trade can prevent the trade out of the hands
of criminals and the black market. Rice disputes Walkers theory, because advocating a legal
trade in ivory as a way to protect elephants in the wild is based on assumptions of political will
and strict enforcement in a world devoid of corruption and greed. Walkers intention of
propositioning a legal trade may be good, but there are other factors that play into it such as the
ethical management system. Additionally, Elizabeth Bennett, a longtime conservationist and
vice president for species conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), wrote a
scientific journal in the Conservation Biology that it is impossible to have a controlled trade in
elephant ivory, because once illegal ivory has entered the legal trade, it is difficult or
impossible for enforcement officers to know what is legal and illegal.
Furthermore, Walker states that if there were no poaching thered still be a supply of
ivory from elephants who die natural mortality and an unexploited elephant population
produces approximately 0.2 kilograms of ivory per animal per year. However, his statement
goes against Rices argument of what if the demand of ivory exceeds the supplies? If the supplies

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cannot meet the markets demands, then it is inevitable but for an illegal trade through poaching
to restart.

African Elephants are struggling daily to experience tomorrow, but that will only happen
if people are aware of the grave situation of the elephants in Africa. Although, many people
believes that a legal trade can exist to protect the African elephants, many conservationist like
Mary Rice and Elizabeth Bennett think otherwise.

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Works Cited
"Ban the Trade, Burn the Ivory Stop Elephant Poaching." Bloody Ivory: Stop Elephant Poaching and
Ivory Trade. Born Free Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2015.
Bennett, Elizabeth. "Legal Ivory Trade in a Corrupt World and Its Impact on African Elephant
Populations." Conservation Biology. Wiley Online Library, 7 Aug. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
"Elephant Tusks - Elephant Facts and Information." EleAid. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
"Ivory's Ghosts by John Frederick Walker." Ivory's Ghosts by John Frederick Walker. N.p., n.d. Web.
12 Mar. 2015.
Rice, Mary. "The Case Against a Legal Ivory Trade: It Will Lead to More Killing of Elephants by Mary
Rice: Yale Environment 360." The Case Against a Legal Ivory Trade: It Will Lead to More
Killing of Elephants by Mary Rice: Yale Environment 360. N.p., 13 Oct. 2014. Web. 13 Mar.
2015.
Russo, Christina. "Can Elephants Survive a Legal Ivory Trade? Debate Is Shifting Against It." National
Geographic. National Geographic Society, 30 Aug. 2014. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.
Scriber, Brad. "100,000 Elephants Killed by Poachers in Just Three Years, Landmark Analysis
Finds." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 29 Jan. 2015.
Walker, John Frederick. "Ivory Trade Debate: Should the Global Ban on Ivory Be Lifted? by John
Frederick Walker: Yale Environment 360." Ivory Trade Debate: Should the Global Ban on Ivory
Be Lifted? by John Frederick Walker: Yale Environment 360. N.p., 13 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Mar.
2015.

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