Illegal Ivory Sales Persist on EBay In Spite of Restrictions

EBay’s restrictions on ivory sales may not be enough, Scientific American reports. According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the number of ivory products for sale on eBay has actually increased over the past year, in spite of the website’s efforts to curb the sale of illegal ivory. As a result, the IFAW is calling on eBay to completely eliminate—not just restrict—ivory sales on its site.

In June 2007, eBay agreed to remove from its site any ivory products that provided international shipping and to inform sellers that some countries require government permission in order to sell ivory legally. However, eBay does not appear to be too eager to completely ban sales, according to the article. “EBay let us know they are in the business of broadening trade, not restricting it,” said Jeff Flocken, director of IFAW’s Washington, D.C. office. “But our stance is that they’re not in the business of promoting extinction. We are asking them to go beyond the legal question to do what is morally right.”

Increased trade in illegal ivory is not a standalone problem; it is reflective of the growing issue of illegal trade in all types of wildlife. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), illegal wildlife trade is one of the biggest threats to species, second only to habitat destruction. In fact, populations of species decreased by 40% on average between 1970 and 2000. A number of government and international institutions have begun taking steps to tackle the issue of illegal wildlife trade. The World Bank has announced a global joint venture aimed at restoring the population of wild tigers; it is the first species project ever undertaken by the Bank. To learn more about the international responses to this issue, check out the TRAFFIC website.