Rebecca Pow has welcomed the news that the Government is cracking down on the sale of ivory in a bid to aid conservation and halt illegal poaching. The UK is preparing to ban the sale of ivory unless it can be proven that it is over 70 years old.

It is already illegal to sell post-1947 ivory, but this is very difficult to determine and is often exploited by sellers and antique dealers as very few checks are carried out. African elephants are killed at a rate of 1 every minute often for their ivory, especially valuable in Asian countries, with China being the biggest market place.

Under the new regulations unveiled by the environment secretary, Andrea Leadsom, alongside the Duke of Cambridge, the onus will now be on dealers to prove the age of the ornament. If they are unable to provide documented proof the pieces will then be confiscated or destroyed, with the aim of giving illegal ivory no economic value.

Rebecca said:

‘The 2015 Conservative Manifesto promised to press for a total ban on ivory sales, bringing the UK in line with the US and France, and these new measures announced by Ministers are a positive step in the right direction. 

On a recent family holiday in Kenya I took time out to meet with conservationists working to protect elephants and was given a first-hand insight into the devastating effect that the ivory trade is having on African elephants. With over 33,000 killed every year there is a very real danger of these beautiful, intelligent animals becoming extinct. On return I have been following up on the Manifesto commitment with Ministers as well as checking progress with NGO’s and other interested and committed parties.’