First, the good news.
Ivory sales have been banned at a fourth major department store in Hong Kong. Under pressure from animal welfare activists – as well as lawmakers, according to the South China Morning Post.
The Chinese Goods Centre joins Wing On, Yue Hwa and Chinese Arts & Crafts that has promised to stop selling products made of ivory, which is illegal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Stores have been under pressure from groups such as Hong Kong for Elephants to do something to stem the illegal trade in elephant parts.
“In order to display our commitment to the protection of endangered species, on 29 November we notified our tenant supplier to stop selling any kind of items made out of elephant ivory which is listed under CITES,” CGCL director Wong Chow Kuen-kuen wrote in a letter. “Thank you so much for your concern and support, and we look forward to your future visit.”
“We are aware that a business … should not only be about profit, it should also take on its social and environmental and conservation responsibility,” the letter continued.
And now, the bad news. The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force has posted new heartbreaking photos of baby which it says were captured in Hwange National Park.
The elephants look skinny and neglected and so far, there’s no word on what’s in store for them.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority says it is continuing to crack down on poachers.
The organization recently reported that, along with the Zimbabwe Republic Police, they discovered 262 elephant feet, five elephant ears, two elephant tails, 62 ivory pieces, 263 ivory cubes, one small rhino horn top, five necklaces, five zebra skins as well as crocodile skins, a kudu skull and a buffalo cap stashed at two different houses in Harare.
