NEWS RELEASE
EBAY ANNOUNCES IVORY BAN IN WAKE OF IFAW REPORT
(21 October 2008) – The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) applauds eBay’s
decision to institute a global ban on the sale of elephant ivory products by 1 January 2009 and
calls on all other internet traders to follow their example.
eBay’s decision was announced just hours before the release of IFAW’s latest investigative
report showing internet trade in wildlife poses a significant and immediate threat to the survival
of elephants and many other endangered species.
The report, which followed a six-week investigation that tracked more than 7,000 wildlife
product listings on 183 web sites in 11 countries, singled out eBay’s US platform as the largest
contributor to the problem, responsible for almost two-thirds of the online trade in wildlife
products worldwide
IFAW’s report, Killing with Keystrokes, will be released tomorrow and shows that:
Australia had the lowest number of listings for wildlife products - 82 items or 1.2 per cent
USA was responsible for more than 70 per cent of trade
China and the United Kingdom, accounted for less that eight per cent each.
Elephant ivory comprised 73 per cent of all products tracked. Other endangered wildlife
products included elephant hides, turtle shells, taxidermy items, and leopard, cheetah, ocelot
and reptile skins.
In Australia, 11 websites were found to list potentially illegal products; exotic birds emerged
as the top traded item, followed closely by elephant products.
“eBay Australia took the lead by banning elephant ivory from their site last year. IFAW
congratulates eBay Inc on taking the bull by the horns by extending this to an outright global
ban,” said Erica Martin, IFAW Asia Pacific Director.
“It’s a great start. The ban on elephant ivory by the world’s biggest online trader backs IFAW’s
message to buyers, sellers and governments - the insidious trade in endangered species must be
stopped,” Ms Martin said
International trade in wildlife is estimated to reach well into the billions of US dollars annually –
a black market rivaling the size of the international trade in illegal drugs and weapons. Every
year, more than 20,000 elephants are illegally slaughtered in Africa and Asia to meet demand for
ivory products. African and Asian elephants are protected under the Convention on the
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Media enquiries:
For copies of the report, images and interviews please contact Imogen Scott +61 2 92884922,
0402 183 113, iscott@ifaw.org
NEWS 
