Africa Bleeds, Europe Buys: The Trade That’s Killing Elephants
The illegal ivory market is still a big threat to African elephants, and new findings show that some Europeans are unwittingly helping fuel the problem. Even with global efforts to lower ivory demand, sales continue all over Europe, leaving conservation groups worried and prompting calls for tougher rules.
The role of Europe in the ivory trade
Avaaz, an international conservation group, led an investigation that uncovered a worrying trend: illegal ivory is being sold all over Europe. They bought 109 items advertised as “antiques” from ten countries—Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK. Oxford University then radiocarbon-dated these pieces to check their real age.
Almost 75% of the items were traced back to wild elephants killed after 1989, when a global ban on ivory started. This finding shows just how hard it is to stamp out illegal ivory sales and highlights Europe’s role as a market for these goods.
Legal implications and findings
The legality of these sales varies throughout Europe. In Bulgaria, Italy, and Spain, every ivory item Avaaz bought was illegal under EU law. In France, even with strict rules requiring proper authentication for antiques, 85% of the pieces were found to be illegal. This shows some serious gaps in law enforcement.
Looking closer at the dates on these items reveals more worry: nearly 20% came from elephants that were alive in the 1990s or 2000s, and 45% came from tusks that grew on elephants in the 1970s and 1980s. Clearly, there’s still a steady demand for recently harvested ivory—even though it’s against the law.
Calls for action and global impact
In response to these disturbing findings, Avaaz is calling for a complete ban on all ivory product sales within the EU and an end to further imports into Europe. The group insists that firm measures are needed to stop this harmful trade and protect elephant herds.
Worldwide, wildlife smuggling rings continue to target African elephants. Last year, authorities seized record-sized shipments of illegal ivory across the globe. And even though China has banned domestic ivory sales, it remains a top destination for illegal ivory because enforcement is still a major headache.
The pressure on Africa’s elephant population is severe. Over the past century, their numbers have dropped from millions to roughly 470,000 today. With only about one-fifth living in well-protected areas, poachers keep going after them for their tusks and other body parts.
A moment for reflection
Bert Wander, campaign director at Avaaz, put it bluntly: “It’s sick. I’m looking at the trinkets we bought on my desk… to think that one of them cost an elephant its life for the bracelet I’m holding now really gets to you.” He added, “This bombshell evidence leaves no doubt that illegal ivory is being sold all over Europe… Every day these trinkets sell brings us a bit closer to losing these majestic creatures forever.”
WWF has also noted that the world is facing an unprecedented surge in illegal wildlife trade, threatening decades of conservation work. This situation calls for immediate action from lawmakers and everyday people if we want to keep these iconic animals around for future generations.
The plight of African elephants is a stark reminder that we can’t afford to sit back when it comes to wildlife conservation. It shows that everyone has a part to play in protecting our planet’s biodiversity for tomorrow just as much as for today.