WWF Statement on Taiwan's Announcement to Ban Ivory Trade

In response to Taiwan’s commitment to ban domestic ivory trade by January 1, 2020, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) issued the following statement from Jan Vertefeuille, senior director for advocacy and wildlife conservation:

“We hope this is a tipping point in the fight against elephant poaching and the insidious illegal ivory trade that claims the lives of more than 20,000 African elephants a year. After a joint agreement by the United States and China to shut down their ivory markets, made in 2015, governments around the world have rallied to end ivory sales and dry up the consumer demand that fuels this wildlife crime. It’s now time for countries that still have active elephant ivory markets helping fuel wildlife crime to join the international community and close them down.”