Weir Calls For Government
Action on Ivory
Angus MP Mike Weir has added his voice to calls for the UK government to use
its influence to prevent China from buying up African ivory stockpiles, as
he fears this will give a boost to illegal elephant poaching.
Mr Weir has urged biodiversity minister Joan Ruddock oppose the Chinese
application at the forthcoming meeting of the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species.
Commenting on the move Mr Weir said
“Elephants are being threatened by loss of habitat, the bushmeat trade ,
conflict with humans over land and the illegal ivory trade. Twenty thousand
are killed each year for their ivory by poachers. This disgusting trade must
be stamped out.”
“The sad fact is that, according to the International Fund for Animal
Welfare, China is already awash with illegal ivory and is the single major
destination for ivory imports.”
“If the CITES committee allows China to legally buy some of the African
stockpile this may well provide a smokescreen for increased illegal ivory
trading, and thus give further incentive for poachers to slaughter
elephants.”