Obama ivory ban would protect elephants

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced Thursday a wide-ranging ivory ban that is aimed at cracking down on elephant poachers.

{mosads}The African elephant ivory ban would severely limit the trade of products containing ivory — even if the ivory was obtained legally — in the United States, with a few exceptions for musicians and gun owners.

The ban goes into effect on July 6.

“Today’s bold action underscores the United States’ leadership and commitment to ending the scourge of elephant poaching and the tragic impact it’s having on wild populations,” Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said in a statement. “We hope other nations will act quickly and decisively to stop the flow of blood ivory by implementing similar regulations, which are crucial to ensuring our grandchildren and their children know these iconic species.”

The FWS hopes the ban will scuttle the ivory trade in the U.S., which it says fuels elephant poaching.

Once the ivory enters the U.S., it is difficult to determine whether it was obtained legally or illegally. This allows poachers to proliferate on the market.

The ban will prohibit most sales across state lines of products containing ivory. However, certain antiques, guns and musical instruments that contain ivory would be exempted. 

The ban would only apply to ivory obtained from African elephants — not to Asian elephants, rhinos, walruses, whales or mammoths, the agency said.