Elephants threatened with extinction due to eBay Ivory trade

[mandy]

The elephant, the world's largest land mammal, is being threatened with global extinction by a "rampant trade" in ivory on the eBay online auction site, animal welfare campaigners said today.

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said it had conducted a survey in Britain, Australia, China, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Canada and the United States and tracked more than 2200 elephant ivory items listed on eBay websites.

It found more than 90 per cent of the listings breached even eBay's own wildlife policies...

full article: http://www.theage.com.au/news/web/tusk-t...29690.html

[mandy]

Update:

Online auctioneer eBay on Tuesday sided with conservationists by banning international sales of ivory.

"It's the right thing to do," said eBay vice president of policy management Matt Halprin.

People trying to sell ivory products without crossing international borders must prove the offers conform to local laws, according to eBay spokeswoman Nichola Sharpe.

The restrictions take force by the end of this month...

full article: http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technology/eB...44217.html