EBay bans the sale of ivory...elephants everywhere do the cabbage-patch

Rack one up for the elephants. EBay, the biggest online flea market in the stratosphere, issued a statement today that it will ban the sale of ivory on its websites worldwide, beginning Jan. 1.

Prompted by animal welfare agencies including the Humane Society International, the company banned cross-border sales of ivory last year -- but as is often the case on EBay, rule-breakers abounded, pushing illegal ivory in underhanded ways.

Here's an excerpt from the EBay blog on why the company finally went for the full monty -- click here to read the entire post:

Global demand for ivory has long been a significant factor in the poaching of African and Asian elephants, driving these species towards extinction –- to such a degree that both types of elephants are now considered endangered or protected species. [We] concluded that we simply can’t ensure that ivory listed for sale on eBay is in compliance with the complex regulations that govern its sale.

Not that they had much choice. According to a newly published report by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Ebay is responsible for 63% of the trade in endangered species -- with elephant ivory comprising 73% of all products tracked.

 

Under the ban, you can still buy and sell some antique pieces that contain a small amount of ivory, such as an antique piano with ivory keys. (The company defines "antique” for the sale of items that contain a small amount of ivory as pre-1900.) But merch with a significant amount of ivory, regardless of its age -- such as chess sets and ivory jewelry -- are strictly verboten under the new policy.

Ebay may have come late to the table on this issue, but at least it's finally taking a stand against poaching and illegal trading. Makes me wanna bid on pair of ill-fitting Levi's right now.

--Emili Vesilind

Photo: Ishara S. Kodikara / AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[eBay seller]

It's about time! eBay's decisions are so often wrong-headed and politically-motivated.

WHY does eBay spend so much time on regulating silly items (you can't sell a teacher edition textbook no matter how old it is because eBay's afraid a student might get ahold of the answers inside).

They didn't worry about ivory, but darn! What if someone got ahead of a 1946 Dick and Jane teacher edition, went back in time, and retook their spelling test?

Why didn't eBay worry about me buying a size 4 dress, when maybe I'm a size 6?
Why didn't they worry about me trading illegally in ivory?

Why don't they *automatically* catch banned listings, rather than not doing anything until someone else turns the problem in to them? Watch. Those ivory listings will still go on, unless someone patrols eBay.

But those dangerous, teacher edition textbooks that are sold everywhere else? They're onto those like a dog on a piece of liver.

[ckc]

Yea,this is so stupid,this will not help the elephants one bit.There scared like everybody else of offending anyone.Take a look in the adult section,any body can buy all the porn and sex toys out there,even if your too young to be looking at that junk, that crap should be band before ivory but no one is raising hell about that.....yet.

[ebaystinks]

Well, the eBay nazis got something right for a change.

[Elephant lover,,but no tree hugger]

Common sense is what makes humans different to animals,,its one of the main reasons we have evolved to where we are today.

You can be an elephant lover,without having to be a tree hugger,common sense tells us all that banning the sales of all ivory is nothing more than giving in to the large conservationist groups who lack common sense and allow emotions to over run latteral thinking.

This may well be a victory for the large conservationist groups,and a victory for the devoted tree huggers,,and in a way a small victory for any elephants that died many many years ago in a time when killing elephants for sport was fun,,and the ivory was a biproduct of that sport,,,,,,, in the real world however its not a victory for the death of elephants in the here and now,as antique items made from ivory have no cause for concern to elephant populations today,,however those with common sense in the large conservationist groups would never dare to say so,after all elephants are the main breadwinner for them all,and without this propoganda driven victory it wouldnt look like they were actually doing anything,because they find it easier to target ebay than target the real issues in Africa.

Mark my words,and remember them,,in another couple of years the problem will still be there,only this time there will be a new victim to blame,,and the reason (you may well be wondering) is simply down to the alledged conservationists lacking common sense and attacking the real problem of poaching in Africa head on.

It is well known by anyone who takes the time to research the topic that virtually all the illegal ivory in the world is destined for China and Japan where ivory carving is normal,these modern ivories are manufactured in traditional ways for private asian collectors,Japan also has a HUGE internal marketplace for ivory where most of the population have a penchant for traditional made ivory seals carrying there own name,,most of the population there have one,,this would be an impossible task to create these seals were it not for the ivory being imported,,both countries turn a blind eye to it,,although this news is saddening,and shocking,,the large conservationist groups already know about this problem,,and im quite sure know this is the main cause of modern day poaching,,,and at the same time realise that this niche area goes on above board in asia,,these items that are made there are never destined for western markets,,so why penalise western collectors and dealers of antiques in a propoganda driven move.

Common sense tells you that by stopping the poaching at the heart of the problem,,you stop the problem,,you wont stop the problem by stopping one marketplace in the world sell legitimate antiques,,whilst another area you cant touch goes on regardless.

[Elephant lover,,but no tree hugger]

Common sense is what makes humans different to animals,,its one of the main reasons we have evolved to where we are today.

You can be an elephant lover,without having to be a tree hugger,common sense tells us all that banning the sales of all ivory is nothing more than giving in to the large conservationist groups who lack common sense and allow emotions to over run latteral thinking.

This may well be a victory for the large conservationist groups,and a victory for the devoted tree huggers,,and in a way a small victory for any elephants that died many many years ago in a time when killing elephants for sport was fun,,and the ivory was a biproduct of that sport,,,,,,, in the real world however its not a victory for the death of elephants in the here and now,as antique items made from ivory have no cause for concern to elephant populations today,,however those with common sense in the large conservationist groups would never dare to say so,after all elephants are the main breadwinner for them all,and without this propoganda driven victory it wouldnt look like they were actually doing anything,because they find it easier to target ebay than target the real issues in Africa.

Mark my words,and remember them,,in another couple of years the problem will still be there,only this time there will be a new victim to blame,,and the reason (you may well be wondering) is simply down to the alledged conservationists lacking common sense and attacking the real problem of poaching in Africa head on.

It is well known by anyone who takes the time to research the topic that virtually all the illegal ivory in the world is destined for China and Japan where ivory carving is normal,these modern ivories are manufactured in traditional ways for private asian collectors,Japan also has a HUGE internal marketplace for ivory where most of the population have a penchant for traditional made ivory seals carrying there own name,,most of the population there have one,,this would be an impossible task to create these seals were it not for the ivory being imported,,both countries turn a blind eye to it,,although this news is saddening,and shocking,,the large conservationist groups already know about this problem,,and im quite sure know this is the main cause of modern day poaching,,,and at the same time realise that this niche area goes on above board in asia,,these items that are made there are never destined for western markets,,so why penalise western collectors and dealers of antiques in a propoganda driven move.

Common sense tells you that by stopping the poaching at the heart of the problem,,you stop the problem,,you wont stop the problem by stopping one marketplace in the world sell legitimate antiques,,whilst another area you cant touch goes on regardless.

[Elephant lover,,but no tree hugger]

Common sense is what makes humans different to animals,,its one of the main reasons we have evolved to where we are today.

You can be an elephant lover,without having to be a tree hugger,common sense tells us all that banning the sales of all ivory is nothing more than giving in to the large conservationist groups who lack common sense and allow emotions to over run latteral thinking.

This may well be a victory for the large conservationist groups,and a victory for the devoted tree huggers,,and in a way a small victory for any elephants that died many many years ago in a time when killing elephants for sport was fun,,and the ivory was a biproduct of that sport,,,,,,, in the real world however its not a victory for the death of elephants in the here and now,as antique items made from ivory have no cause for concern to elephant populations today,,however those with common sense in the large conservationist groups would never dare to say so,after all elephants are the main breadwinner for them all,and without this propoganda driven victory it wouldnt look like they were actually doing anything,because they find it easier to target ebay than target the real issues in Africa.

Mark my words,and remember them,,in another couple of years the problem will still be there,only this time there will be a new victim to blame,,and the reason (you may well be wondering) is simply down to the alledged conservationists lacking common sense and attacking the real problem of poaching in Africa head on.

It is well known by anyone who takes the time to research the topic that virtually all the illegal ivory in the world is destined for China and Japan where ivory carving is normal,these modern ivories are manufactured in traditional ways for private asian collectors,Japan also has a HUGE internal marketplace for ivory where most of the population have a penchant for traditional made ivory seals carrying there own name,,most of the population there have one,,this would be an impossible task to create these seals were it not for the ivory being imported,,both countries turn a blind eye to it,,although this news is saddening,and shocking,,the large conservationist groups already know about this problem,,and im quite sure know this is the main cause of modern day poaching,,,and at the same time realise that this niche area goes on above board in asia,,these items that are made there are never destined for western markets,,so why penalise western collectors and dealers of antiques in a propoganda driven move.

Common sense tells you that by stopping the poaching at the heart of the problem,,you stop the problem,,you wont stop the problem by stopping one marketplace in the world sell legitimate antiques,,whilst another area you cant touch goes on regardless.