Tusks and trinkets: An overview of illicit ivory trafficking in Africa

Massive ivory poaching in Africa during the 1970s and 1980s prompted a global ban on the ivory trade in 1989. Twenty years on from the ban, elephants are once again being poached at alarming rates for their tusks. This rise in poaching has coincided with a greater level of organisation and sophistication in the illegal trade in ivory and is associated with a growing demand for ivory in Asia, especially China. Beyond mere criminal enterprise, however, this mushrooming illegal trade is also aiding in funding conflict and instability on the continent. This article aims to broadly outline the most salient dimensions of the illegal ivory trade in Africa, from poaching for profit to that used to fund conflict, those involved, their methods and means.