The rapid-assessment report, The Often Overlooked Ivory Trade, aimed to assess the legal and illegal international trade in the semi-aquatic mammals between 2009 and 2018., which regulates most of the international trade in ivory, as well as from data gleaned from Traffic’s wildlife-trade information system.in hippo ivory, with law enforcement authorities seizing an estimated 957kg and 6 335 specimens of hippo ivory in the period.
South Africa was involved as the country of export, or as a transit country, in eight seizures of hippo ivory, while being responsible for three seizures itself. Malawi, Cameroon, and Kenya made between five and 10 seizures each. “Ivory is most commonly sourced from the teeth of mammals, such as African elephant and Asian elephant, and, to a lesser extent, from, walrus, whales , common warthog and hippopotamuses, specifically the common hippopotamus,” the report says.
In the legal trade, hippo ivory was mostly exported from east and southern African range states to Asia, Europe, and North America. Most of this ivory was re-exported to countries/territories within the EU, Hong Kong, Turkey and the US. A total of 17 African countries were reported to have exported hippo ivory between 2009 and 2018. Uganda reportedly traded the highest quantity, accounting for more than 40% of total exports. Tanzania and Malawi exported more than 11 and seven tonnes of hippo ivory, respectively. South Africa and Zambia collectively accounted for about two tonnes.According to the report, between 2009 and 2018, South Africa traded 93 skulls, 471kg of teeth and 730 hippo trophies — the equivalent of 1 132 animals.
It, however, found that trade in hippo ivory appeared to decrease during the period, seemingly contradicting concerns that it may increase as a substitute for elephant ivory.
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