U.S. Authorities Target Auction Houses in Illegal Ivory Trade Probe
- August 12, 2014 22:41
Africa's elephants are reportedly being killed in record numbers for their tusks to supply ivory markets, especially in China and the U.S. The American auction trade has come under increased scrutiny for sales of illegal ivory.
A report released Tuesday by the International Fund for Animal Welfare says that the need for regulation in the ivory trade industry comes from recent research that found that American auctioneers are not always aware of the age of ivory and can not provide proof to whether it is new or old.
“The scale of ivory trade in auctions, the confusing rules and regulations, and the suspect nature of a significant portion of ivory auction commerce, all contribute to making the auction industry a potential cover for illegal ivory trade,” the report says.
Read more at International Business Times
