Demand for ivory products is pushing elephants to extinction. Only 10% of the population that roamed in Africa a century ago survive and every 26 minutes an elephant is killed. More than 20,000 a year.
Legal ivory trade of ancient crafts or ivory collected before the current international ban fuels demand, covers illegal trade and favours poaching, corruption and organized crime. But it is still sold in many European countries in auctions, online and in markets. Too many.
Whereas countries such as China and France already shut down their domestic markets, Italy represents the third ivory exporter worldwide and this is unacceptable.
We are asking the Italian Minister of the Environment, Sergio Costa, for a total ban on domestic ivory trade in Italy. Furthermore, we recommend that the Vatican State help us constract the global ivory trade, as advocated by Pope Francis, by adopting a similar ban in its territory as a strong signal to the world.
Please join the fight by signing this petition now.
