Banning of the Ivory Trade: A Business Submission

This paper discusses the need for the Australian government to ban the ivory trade, both domestically and internationally, due to the threat it poses to endangered animals. It also highlights the work of the International Wildlife Bond and the historical background of the issue.

Running head: BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS
SUBMISSION
Banning of the Ivory Trade: A Business Submission
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS SUBMISSION
Introduction
Australia with its enriched wildlife species is also a soft target for poachers and hunters
who target elephant and especially rhinos for their precious ivory and horns which come at a
high price in the international market. Although eminent countries have taken up the issue of
poaching and wildlife at risk to be of utmost importance, it is still a grey zone for the Australian
government who yet has to ponder upon the legal loopholes which empower the poachers and
the black market businessmen. The declining amount of elephant and rhinoceros possess a threat
to the Australian wildlife and ecology. Besides, most of the poaching caters not to the Australian
subcontinent but the international market that fuels this malpractice with millions of dollars. It
should also be noted that countries like China and the United States of America have already
banned the poaching industry from operating in the domestic market (Biggs et al. 2013). The
Australian government should also interfere in this malpractice that leaves no mercy on the
animals that they feed upon. In fact, it is high time that the Australian government bans the
businessmen from partaking ivory trade in the domestic as well as international. This paper with
it's in depth discussion about different policies thrives on recommending steps that should be
pondered upon by the government so that the ivory trade be gone, forever, from the land of
Australia.
About the International Wildlife Bond:
The International Wildlife Bond identifies as an innovation that uses the digital platform
in order to protect the well being of the animal kingdom. Established in 2015, it primarily works
as an organization who reaches out to its target audience through the digital platform as they

2BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS SUBMISSION
believe that the internet is the best place to create awareness amongst the inhabitants of this
planet. Through impressive digital innovations, the International Wildlife Bond voices out their
opinions in favour of the animal kingdom and the different range of crises that they face. It also
works to protect the right of the animal kingdom to be sustained. Through their online platform,
the International Wildlife Bond works constantly to create awareness, sharing ideas as well as
generating funds which would be utterly helpful to rescue and protect the endangered animals. A
crowd funding platform, it works by actively criticizing abuse and killings of animals for the sole
purpose of human recreations. The organization thrives on resisting the poaching industry that
possesses a serious threat to the life of wild animals. It detects poaching activities world wild and
works closely with the government of the nation in order to curb any kind of poaching activities.
It closely works with the government to detect any illegal transport of animal by-products such
as fur, bones, carcass, ivory and horns and thereby eliminating poaching agencies and poaching
agents who are responsible for such heinous crimes (Crookes and Blignaut 2015). The
International Wildlife Bond also works towards shunning the ill practice of trophy hunting as it
drives beautiful animals towards extinction. Thus, it demands for the abolition of the age old
recreational game of trophy hunting. This nonprofit organization also works towards a world free
of synthetic hunting and they also petition against the practice of hunting conservation (Zhou
2014). The International Wildlife Bond also organizes campaigns and supports legal channels in
order to bring change or enforce laws that will take into consideration, the conservation of the
animal kingdom. The organization is involved in the international sphere with an eagle eye
towards any abuse of animals which pushes that particular species towards extinction.

3BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS SUBMISSION
Issues that Need to be Addressed:
To obtain ivory and ivory related products, the illegal poaching industry possesses a
serious life threat to animals such as elephants and rhinoceros. It is mandatory that the wildlife
diversity is saved for the future generation and to maintain the sane equilibrium of the
environment. It should be reiterated here that the Australian government has indeed ordered for
an inquiry that is to chalk out the ivory trade business that takes place within the Australian
continent (Smith, Biggs and St. John 2015). This brave statement does, in fact, showcase the
commitment that the Australian government has towards the conservation of the endangered
species of the animals in question. The ivory trade ban has been supported by many countries
which are proactively seeking channels to completely dedicate themselves to the preservation of
these endangered animals. Countries like the United States of America and China have banned
the trade of ivory in their territory (Muboko and Murindagomo 2014). Following them, the hub
of ivory trade Hong Kong has already implied a ban on any form of ivory trade within the
territory. Countries in the European Union has been inclining towards the ban on ivory and as an
example, France’s ban on ivory trade can be taken as an example.
The global scene of ivory trade generates at least fifteen to twenty billion dollars
annually. Innumerous animals are slaughtered each year for the extraction of trunks and horns
that fuel the ivory trade. The core area of poaching activity in the African nations is pushing the
elephants and rhinoceros towards extinction. It can only be prevented with the ban on ivory trade
both domestically and internationally (Gao et al. 2016). A situation where all the markets of
ivory trade will be permanently shut down will be the only golden opportunity for the elephants
and rhinos to have a life that is free of lethal threats (Wyler and Sheikh 2013). Illegal trade
concerning the wildlife is the booming ground for criminals who flourish in such a lucrative

4BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS SUBMISSION
marketplace. Besides, a surge in the demand for ivory related products is on the rise from the
East and South East Asian countries. The and South East Asian countries place a deep belief
system in traditional unauthorized medicines that promote ivory product dust to cure ailments
(Princen 2013). The aerial census which is also known as the Great Elephant Census enlightened
the human population that the African elephant population, the seventy percent of it has been
wiped out rapidly from 2007-2014. These seven years wreaked havoc on the elephants as 144000
of them were killed only to satisfy the ivory lust of human beings.
The Historical Background of the Issue:
The backdrop for the ivory trade ban was one that was created slowly. In 1989 the CITES
or International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna made it a motto to ban the
ivory trade business once and forever (Huxley 2013). The convention that was arranged did not
make a huge impact as in many countries which included Australia, ivory trade continued to
become a flourishing business. The aim of CITES is to oversee the prevention of harm to any
wildlife while they are being soft targets of human greed. The exploitation of plants and animals
for different by-products such as fur, medicine, musical instruments, memoirs and curious
deplete the population and pushes them on the verge of extinction. To prevent such acts, the
United Kingdom, in the year 2016 passed a legislation that banned the sale of designer ivory
products which dates anything newer than 1947. The United States of America along with China
pledged to end all trades relating to ivory which they followed through with gradually. The 2016,
17th CITES Conference saw a growth of interest in banning ivory trade in order to protect the
rights of survival of the wildlife animals (Reeve 2014).

5BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS SUBMISSION
Is Banning Ivory Trade the Solution?
To present a different perspective, it is of utmost importance that we take the example of
the Cocaine trade of Latin America or the sex trade industries, which are all banned from the
mainstream society. Did it end the plague of vice with the ban of cocaine production? Well,
unfortunately, the answer is no. It only gave birth to legal loopholes through which the illegal
trades flourish (Mofson 2013). Powerful local goons turn cartels and lead such business with
élan. The price of the banned goods also increase thoroughly and in near future, it would be
highly impossible for any form of legality to stop the production of coca left being turned into
cocaine. Besides, the ban on the ivory trade business only saw a decline in the demands in the
Japanese land whereas the demand for the same kept on increasing in Vietnam and China. It
should be noted here that, the sellers of ivory in the South East Asian lands would just stockpile
the ivory and sell it in a price that is multifold times higher than the original price. An alternative
to completely ban the demand of ivory would be to create awareness with scientific proof,
amongst people that ivory has no connection with vigor, health or virility (Collins, Fraser and
Snowball 2013). It is also possible that people husband or rear the elephants and harvest ivory in
a sustainable way without harming or murdering the innocent animals.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, it can be inferred that the ban on ivory trade must be of utmost importance
to the government of Australia. With the ban, it will also be clear that the Government of
Australia does not support or indulge in any kind of ivory trade. It is also necessary that all
forms of ivory trade be banned, domestic and international. It might be of help if the Australian

6BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS SUBMISSION
government also bans any form of antique ivory trade as it would only fuel the idea of a zero-
tolerance policy on the ivory trade scenario.

7BANNING OF THE IVORY TRADE IN AUSTRALIA: A BUSINESS SUBMISSION
Reference
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