Chinese demand for elephant ivory drops, new report says

NAIROBI: A leading elephant conservation group says the price of ivory in China has dropped as the country moves toward a ban on the legal trade of ivory this year.

Experts say Chinese demand for tusks has been driving elephants toward extinction.

A report launched Wednesday surveyed the price of ivory in markets across China over the last three years and found prices had dropped from $2,100 per kilogram in early 2014 to $730 in February.


Save the Elephants says factors behind the drop in the price of ivory include an economic slowdown in China resulting in fewer people being able to afford luxury goods, and a crackdown on corruption dissuading business people from buying expensive ivory items as ``favors'' for government officials.