Ivory ban could be extended to protect hippos, walruses and narwhals

A proposed ivory ban could be extended to protect hippos, walruses and narwhals, the government has said. Ministers have proposed strict legislation to ban the sale of ivory items of all ages, with a few exemptions, as part of efforts to protect elephants from poaching. Around 20,000 elephants a year are slaughtered for their ivory, and wildlife campaigners argue the ban will slow the pace of the killing. But concerns have been raised that the focus on elephants in the ban puts other ivory-bearing animals at increased risk of poaching for their ivory.

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