Namibia Ivory Auction
Published October 28th, 2008
An elephant ivory auction totaling over 19,800 lb (9,000 kg) will be held in Namibia. This is the first time in nearly 10 years that international trade in elephant ivory has been sanctioned by the UN-backed Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The sales will continue over the next two weeks in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, with a grand total of 119 tons (108 tonnes) of ivory up for bidding. This accounts for an estimated 10,000+ dead elephants.
The last authorized auction since CITES banned the ivory trade in 1989 was in 1999, when southern African countries complying with stringent controls were given permission to sell off stockpiles to generate money for conservation and community development.
