Chinese Government Destroys Six Tons of Ivory

The Chinese government recently destroyed 6.1 tons of ivory that it confiscated, reports the Humane Society of the United States. China is a hotbed of ivory trade, along with other Asian countries such as Vietnam and Western territories such as the United States. Earlier this year, the US Fish and Wildlife Service crushed more than 5 tons of ivory to convey a message of no tolerance when it comes to the trafficking of illegal wildlife products such as elephant tusks, rhinoceros horns, and tiger blood. “This is a potentially game-changing development for elephants, and an indicator of a new resolve from the government of China to crack down on illegal killing of wildlife,” says Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS. The animal-welfare organization notes that, approximately 30,000 African elephants are killed per year.