Thread: Ivory scales

A while back I saw a picture of officials in Africa burning a big, BIG; pile of ivory tusks. They had been seized from poachers, and those who deal with them. I normally just shrug off such a picture and move on, but this really made me feel angry. Don't get me wrong, poachers are scum, you can play in the children starving at home tune, but, that's a whole 'nuther thread. What angered me was the waste. What was done had been done, burning the ivory keeps it from the market that drives the business. But the waste. It seemed to me that since they had denied the product to the bad guys, why not sell it to the good guys? Use the monies gained to pay for more wardens and better control of the existing herd. I've heard of one country over there who provide hunts, very limited and very expensive. Use the money for the elephants and were doing very well with a healthy growing herd.

I'm sure someone will come along and point out what I'm missing, I know it can't be that easy. But burning a pile of ivory, to me, someone who used to hunt and still will when I can again; seems like a crappy way to honor the dead who gave up their tusks.

Even today,sport hunted tusks can be brought into this country.
The CITES laws are all about banning Importation and exportation Of new Ivory.
Old African ivory that is in this country today is legal and what is here legally is well documented.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Even today,sport hunted tusks can be brought into this country.
The CITES laws are all about banning Importation and exportation Of new Ivory.
Old African ivory that is in this country today is legal and what is here legally is well documented.

Just as long as you have the permits to show your kill was legal.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Just as long as you have the permits to show your kill was legal.

Absolutly>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CITES laws governing EU countries appear to be stricter. As far as existing ivory scales are concerned, they must have been 'worked' before 1947, then they need no paperwork or permits. That means that they must be in a finished condition - all other stuff like scraps, etc which could be worked-up is banned. So you could have rough-cuts that were intentioned to be scales, they could be over a hundred years old, but in the EU you couldn't work them up into the finished product, you can't sell them, export them or get papers for them - all you are allowed to do is own them. The trade in modern ivory is banned altogether.

Regards,
Neil

Very true Neil.Even if one travels to EU or Canada with an Ivory scaled Razor thats 150 yrs old,on the offchance customs detects it as Ivory,and you do not have a paper trail from the day it was made,It will before your very eyes be confiscated and smashed with a hammer,than severe fines will be levied.
The funny is,great britain has the largest stores of African Ivory in the world,thousands of tons taken during the conquests of Africa and india,Is part of the national treasures,They sold a million Lbs of Ivory to China in the past two yrs.

Which makes mammoth or mastodon ivory ideal. Dug up from the ground, no fresh killing of an endangered species.

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Which makes mammoth or mastodon ivory ideal. Dug up from the ground, no fresh killing of an endangered species.

Conversley,what makes vintage legal african Ivory not ideal?
Mammoth is great stuff,is also 3 times the price,I in no way condone the killing of Elephants today,but what happend 100 yrs ago was sport,crazy maybe,but it was what it was.

Don't misunderstand, I like ivory, probably better than any other handle material when I can get it.

I don't much care for the unreasonable application of "all or nothing at all" thinking that some groups managed to persuade others into believing. I've had to educate customs folks about the differences in ivories on the spot. Knowing a slight nuance can be just too much trouble for some folks who want life to be easy and uncomplicated.

Governments, as always, control resource management to make a profit, just as businesses do.

Originally Posted by Mike Blue

Don't misunderstand, I like ivory, probably better than any other handle material when I can get it.

I don't much care for the unreasonable application of "all or nothing at all" thinking that some groups managed to persuade others into believing. I've had to educate customs folks about the differences in ivories on the spot. Knowing a slight nuance can be just too much trouble for some folks who want life to be easy and uncomplicated.

Governments, as always, control resource management to make a profit, just as businesses do.

Mike,can you elaborate on your dealings with customs?