TRADE WARS

摘要

Odds on a resumption of the legal ivory trade have receded.The issue of how to reverse the massive escalation in the poaching of elephants for their tusks dominated the conference.Two countries - Namibia and Zimbabwe - requested the right to legally trade in ivory stockpiles but this was defeated, while Botswana said it will voluntarily treat its elephants as having a greater level of protection than they actually do.According to Will Travers of the Born Free Foundation, this was important. "Botswana has one third of Africa's elephants, and this was delivered at ministerial level with all the clout that this gives," he said.