France has joined the growing international movement to close down ivory trafficking and has announced that its three tons of confiscated ivory will be destroyed.
Speaking at the Africa-France peace and security summit at the Elysée Palace, President Francois Hollande said that buying ivory must be “a clearly punishable act” and that France would implement increased penalties for illegal trade in ivory and other endangered species parts. He also called for standardized criminal penalties for wildlife trafficking across Europe.
It is difficult to dispute claims that ivory trafficking is a threat to the stability of African nations. The May 2013 slaughter of 26 elephants at Dzanga-Ndoki National Park, a World Heritage Site in the Central African Republic (CAR), is believed to be the work of the Seleka militia. This is the same rebel coalition that prompted France’s deployment of 1,600 personnel to support African Union troops in the Central African Republic this month.
The Seleka militia is not the only armed rebel group to be linked to Africa’s elephant crisis. Terrorist operations such as the Lord’s Resistance Army in Uganda, the Janjaweed in Sudan, and Al-Qaeda and Al-Shabaab allegedly receive funding from the ivory trade.
Annamiticus supports France’s decision to destroy its ivory stockpile. We encourage efforts to devalue ivory, stop the demand, and close down the trade.
Rhishja Cota
I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.