For the last hour as of 13.34 GMT, the Guardian has been running what it calls an ‘eco audit” asking readers to give their views on whether the destruction of ivory stocks helps save elephants as a species.
I was pleased and surprised to see comments running strongly in favour of the answer ‘no’. The first comment is typical:
It’s a stupid move. It just makes the price of contraband ivory go up and kills more elephants.
Whoa. A smidgeon of economic common sense appears among the Guardianista? Whodathunkit?
Does destroying beef stocks save cattle?
Auction off the ivory, and use the funds to protect those elephants that remain
I agree with Mike Giles above. It seems to me that by the time Heffalumps are Ivory it’s a bit too late!
If you want to save elephants, the answer is easy. Privatise them, and legalise the sale of ivory.
I still want to know why we can’t farm them, if ivory is so valuable.
You could of course just knock them out with a tranquiliser gun, take the ivory and leave the elephant. Not sure how essential the tusks are to them. If they are then replace them with a nice carbon fibre tusk, maybe in a ‘safety vest’ yellow colour.
This guy’s coffee companion temporarily had the right idea.
Ah! this is more Guardianist
“I think this decision by France echoes a global sentiment that owning ivory is no longer socially acceptable.”
Totally ignoring the elephant in the drawing room, there is no global sentiment or there wouldn’t be an ivory trade.
Wonder it’s possible to spot any of the little buggers when they’re hiding behind blades of grass.