UK Ivory Act extends protections to ban all trade in ivory from hippos and three whale species
The UK’s landmark Ivory Act has been extended to offer protection to an additional four species.
EIA UK Executive Director Mary Rice welcomed the move, stating: “The UK Ivory Act was a long, tough fight to achieve and well worth the effort as it proved to be one of the world’s toughest and most comprehensive ivory bans.
“Until now it has applied only to the ivory of elephants, so we’re delighted to see its scope expanded to include hippos and some cetaceans whose ivory is all too often found in illegal trade.”
EIA played a crucial role in leading a coalition of environmental groups to secure the Act after our research revealed in 2017 that the UK was the world’s leading exporter of antique ivory and our campaigners are delighted to see it expanded.
The Act came into force on 6 June 2022, effectively outlawing all legal ivory trade apart from a few narrow exemptions.
Under the Act, it is illegal to deal in almost all of the UK in items made of, or containing, elephant ivory, regardless of their age. There are a number of carefully crafted, limited and certified exemptions which include portrait miniatures, musical instruments, items with low ivory content, sales to qualifying museums and rare/important items. Penalties for dealing in ivory now include fines of up to £250,000 or up to five years’ imprisonment.
This week, the UK Government confirmed that the scope of the Act has been extended to now ban the importing, exporting and dealing in items containing ivory from hippos, narwhals and killer and sperm whales, stating: “Closing domestic ivory markets is a critical part of the UK’s global conservation efforts. Hippopotamus is the species most at extinction risk from the trade in its ivory, after elephants.”
Narwhals
EIA Ocean Campaigner Sarah Dolman added: “This move will level protection in the UK for orca, narwhal, sperm whale and hippopotamus, all ivory-bearing species. It will help prevent ivory demand shifting from one vulnerable species to another.
“A narwhal is a medium-sized whale, hunted under quotas in Canada and Greenland. Males and some females have a long protruding tusk that projects from their upper left jaw. Narwhal tusks, like the ivory of other species, are traded globally for an unnecessary market and can fetch large sums of money. Narwhals are experiencing significant declines in abundance due to hunting, particularly in east Greenland.
“It’s pleasing to see the Ivory Act extended to these additional species but, as ever, strict enforcement of the provisions will be required.”
