No More Ivory Trade in China

China's State Forestry Administration announced that from the very last day of 2017, any transaction involving ivory, including bringing ivory from abroad into China, would be illegal. It did so using a video to remind people that China has now banned domestic ivory processing and trade, Ecns.cn reported. As a part of China's efforts to reduce ivory demand and help end the global poaching crisis, the country announced in late 2016 that it would cease taking part in ivory processing and sales by March 31, 2017, and to cease all ivory processing and sales by December 31, 2017. China's historic ban has been applauded worldwide, especially by NGOs devoted to environmental and animal protection. "China's announcement is a game changer for elephant conservation," said Carter Roberts, president and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund. "The large-scale trade of ivory now faces its twilight years, and the future is brighter for wild elephants."