Elephant Poaching - Elephanatics Foundation

The Ivory Trade Crisis: History, Poaching, and Conservation 🐘

The African ivory trade has wiped out millions of elephants. Learn about the 1989 ban, the current poaching crisis, and what drives the illegal market.

A History of Ivory and Decline

The ivory trade began with the colonization of Africa, dating back to the 14th century. European consumers drove demand before the 20th century.

A major resurgence hit in the 1970s, heavily pressuring African and Asian elephants.

By the 1970s, Japan and Western countries (Europe/North America) consumed about 80% of the global trade.
The African elephant population dropped sharply from 1.3 million in 1979 to only 600,000 in 1989.
During this decade, roughly 75,000 elephants were killed annually, mostly illegally.

The 1989 Ban and its Failure

The Initial Success

After many failed attempts to control the trade, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) instituted an international ivory ban in 1989. This ban initially worked:

The poaching epidemic was greatly reduced.
Ivory prices fell, and markets in the U.S. and Europe closed.

The Trade Reopens

The success was undercut when CITES allowed the African elephant to be removed from the endangered list in certain countries.

2008: China and Japan bought 108 tonnes of ivory in a “one-off” sale.
This legal sale did not stop poaching; instead, China’s rising demand caused the price of ivory to greatly increase.

What Drives Poaching Today?

Poaching is no longer a small issue; it’s linked to organized crime and terrorist groups. It is driven by three main factors:

Demand: Ivory is a status symbol, primarily in China, driving the illegal market.
Poverty: Poaching offers a powerful allure of quick income; one elephant’s tusks can equal over a decade of farming wages.
Weak Governance: Poor government systems allow the illegal trade and wildlife trafficking to flourish.

Key Stats and Conservation Status

The current poaching crisis threatens the survival of all African elephants:

The African elephant population is now around 500,000, down from 10 million 50 years ago.
Forest elephants are assessed as Critically Endangered.
Savanna elephants are assessed as Endangered (2021 IUCN Red List).
Poaching hotspots are shifting, with recent increases reported in Northern Botswana and Namibia (2023/2024).

Education and Anti-Poaching Efforts

Ignorance and Online Trade While awareness has grown significantly since the historic 2018 bans, the nature of the trade has shifted.

The Awareness Gap: In 2007, 70% of people in China didn’t know ivory came from dead elephants. By 2026, thanks to massive campaigns, over 88% of the public recognizes that the ivory trade is illegal.
The “Traveler Loophole”: Despite domestic bans, some buyers now target ivory while traveling in neighboring countries, making international cooperation more vital than ever.
Online Deception: Online purchasing remains a major hurdle. Sellers often use coded language and falsely claim ivory is “mammoth tusk” or “pre-1989 antique” to bypass digital filters.

Action and Technology Conservationists and advocates are fighting back with modern tools:

GPS Tracking: Technology like GPS collars (used by groups like the Mara Elephant Project) allows for 24/7 monitoring. This data doesn’t just prevent poaching; it helps us understand how elephants adapt to changing landscapes.
Advocacy: Organizations like Elephanatics drive policy change by bridging the gap between education and action. From hosting the Global March to campaigning for the October 2026 UNTOC Protocol, we ensure that “knowledge” leads to real-world protection.

Education is key to shifting the narrative. Writing a persuasive essay is about more than just a grade—it’s about using your reason to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves. As someone interested in how we value and observe the natural world, your voice is a vital tool in the “modern day struggle” for conservation.

- Download our Guide: Writing the Persuasive Essay (PDF) – Use these facts to build a powerful argument and help us urge leaders to formalize the UNTOC Protocol before the October 2026 conference.

For four consecutive years, Elephanatics hosted the Global March for elephants and Rhinos march in Vancouver, B.C. We brought awareness to the poaching crisis facing the African elephant and rhino through reputable speakers in the field of conservation. Education is one of our pillars of advocacy and is a key proponent to initiate policy changes within our government.

Dr. Jake Wall collars a bull elephant with GPS technology. GPS tracking enables conservationists to track the movements and location of elephants. This helps in rescuing injured or orphaned elephants due to poaching. Learn more here about various technologies used to collect data on elephants at Mara Elephant Project.

Why is There Still a Demand for Ivory?

While a 2007 survey famously found that 70% of Chinese consumers didn’t know ivory came from dead elephants, massive awareness campaigns and the 2018 National Ivory Ban have changed the tide. Today, over 88% of people in China are aware that the ivory trade is illegal, and demand has dropped to its lowest levels in decades.

However, two major challenges remain in 2026:

The “Traveler Loophole”: While the domestic market in China is closed, some “diehard” buyers still purchase ivory while traveling in neighboring countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, then attempt to smuggle it home.
The Internet & “Antique” Fraud: Illegal trade has moved underground. Sellers on social media and e-commerce platforms often use code words or falsely label new ivory as “pre-ban antiques” or “mammoth ivory” to bypass digital filters.