In a bid to save wildlife and deter poachers, Singapore has announced a blanket ban on domestic ivory trade from September 2021. This announcement was made on 12th August, which is also World Elephant Day.
Any violators of this law can face a jail term of up to one year and will have to pay substantial fines.
Post the ban, traders that have a stock of ivory can either keep them or donate them to institutions for educational purposes.
This domestic ban on the ivory trade was put into effect after consultations with various non-governmental organizations, ivory traders, and the public.
The move was also welcomed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) that tweeted its support.
We welcome Singapore’s decision to close its domestic ivory market in a move to stop #IllegalWildlifeTrade https://t.co/1NiwP8Apsq
— WWF 🐼 (@WWF) August 12, 2019
The international trade of ivory has been banned in Singapore in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 1990. This came into force after the population of elephants dropped from millions to a mere hundred thousand towards the 1980s. However, domestic traders could sell ivory items if they could prove that they were imported before that year.
Elephant ivory is sought after, especially in Asian countries such as China and Vietnam, because it can be made into jewels and ornaments.
Isn’t this a wonderful move by Singapore to protect the dwindling populations of these majestic species? What do you think?
