Why Reducing Ivory Demand in China Will Not Curb Poaching in Africa

A China in Africa Podcast

“When the buying stops, the killing can too,” reads the popular slogan that WildAid uses in its anti-ivory campaign to raise awareness in China. WildAid, along with most Western environmentalists, contend that curbing demand in China for ivory is the key factor to help save the African elephant from extinction.

‘China is Doing More to Protect Elephants than Africa [Is]’

Eric Olander, Cobus van Staden & more
For the first time in years, there is positive news to report in the fight to save Africa’s elephants from extinction. A new study by Save the Elephants revealed that the price of ivory in China has halved over the past 18 months, indicating that...

Damien Mander disagrees. Mander is the founder of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation and a leader in a new movement that is militarizing the fight against illegal wildlife poaching in southern Africa. Mander is a former Australia special forces soldier who also served multiple tours in Iraq as a private military contractor. Today, he trains wildlife protection teams throughout southern Africa, where he says the fight to save these animals will not be won by curbing demand in Asia but by combating the organized crime syndicates that run the illegal ivory trade.

Damien Mander joins Eric and Cobus to discuss what he thinks needs to be done to save Africa’s rapidly shrinking elephant population.

Recommendations

Green Space

12.16.15

Ivory Price Has Halved, But No Celebration Yet

Michael Zhao
International NGOs such as Save the Elephants have shared the great news that the price of ivory has decreased by almost 50 percent over the past year and a half, thanks to successful campaigns by NGOs in educating the public, and also to...