End Of Year, Hong Kong Officially Bans Sales Of Products Made From Elephant Ivory

Illustration of a product made from elephant ivory. (Wikimedia Commons/US Government Accountability Office)

JAKARTA - A ban on the sale of most ivory products in Hong Kong went into effect on Friday, the culmination of a three-year process to eliminate trade in one of the country's most popular commodities.

The imposition of the ban on December 31, the fruit of the struggle of Hong Kong MPs who in 2018 backed a bill to phase out the trade, a move some conservationists have criticized as an exploitable loophole.

The city has been accused of playing a large role in the industry, with one 2019 report by a local conservation group saying Hong Kong accounted for about a fifth of all global ivory seizures in the last decade.

Ahead of the ban, small queues of shoppers were seen outside several shops selling products in the Sheung Wan city district, according to local media reports, citing CNA Dec. 31.

Friday's new rules prohibit the "import, re-export and commercial possession of elephant ivory", but make exceptions for antiques dating back to before 1925.

Illustration of a product made from elephant ivory. (Wikimedia Commons/E235)

Don't even think about trying to violate these terms. Because the Hong Kong authorities have prepared a maximum fine of 10 million Hong Kong dollars or 1.3 million US dollars and 10 years in prison for violators.

With its busy ports and other transport links, Hong Kong has developed rapidly as a major transit point for the illegal trade in parts of endangered animals such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins, mostly destined for consumers on the Chinese mainland.

In 2017, Hong Kong authorities made the largest catch of ivory-related ivory in three decades, totaling 7.2 tonnes worth about US$9 million.

Two years later, authorities confiscated 2.1 tonnes of ivory-related products in 2019, even though the phased elimination process had already begun.

African ivory is a sought-after status symbol in China and usually sells for $1,100 per kilogram. However, the ban on the ivory trade in China has been in effect since 2018.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation said, "the government is committed to protecting endangered species, including elephants."

In August, Hong Kong passed a law that classifies the wildlife trade as an organized crime problem.