Chinese boost illegal ivory trade

[xchrom]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/NB08Cb01.html

CAIRO - The illegal trade in ivory continues in Egypt, with ivory products sold openly in local tourist markets by traders who operate with impunity and Chinese people the main buyers, a new study by the conservation group Traffic has found.

Earlier Traffic studies, completed in 1998 and 2005, found the biggest buyers of ivory in Egypt were Europeans, particularly Italian and Spanish tourists. Western visitors continue to buy, but the latest study revealed that the Chinese are a new consumer group with growing spending power and a strong taste for carved elephant tusks.

"In 2005, the Chinese were hardly buying any ivory. Now they



account for over half of all sales," said Esmond Martin, a consultant on endangered wildlife and the lead author of the report.

The number of Chinese tourists and expatriates in Egypt has grown significantly in the past decade as the two countries increase commercial ties and air links. In 2001, there were only about 100 Chinese expatriates in Egypt. By some estimates, there are now over 60,000 Chinese expatriates and 100,000 tourists a year.

[marmar]

1. The greedy destructiveness of the human race never ceases to amaze.

nt

[xchrom]

2. indeed. nt