The Philippines will destroy five tons of collected ivory tusks worth around P420 million to send the message that it is not a haven for the illegal ivory trade.
The tusks will be crushed by a steam roller and then will be burned in front of government officials, foreign observers, and advocates against the ivory trade.
“Our decision to destroy these ivory tusks that entered the country illegally is to show to the whole world that the Philippines will not tolerate illegal wildlife trade,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said.
The Philippines is signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES), which prohibits the buying and selling of ivory.
On a related note, activists have been pushing the Philippine government to send Mali, the only elephant in the Philippines, to an elephant sanctuary in Thailand. Mali has been in captivity at the Manila Zoo, which advocates including Dr. Jane Goodall say is a cruel place to live.
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Photo: Ivory trade in East Africa, ca. 1880s/1890s
