20 October 2014: In a National Geographic editorial, John Scanlon, Secretary-General, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), discusses the destruction of confiscated elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn.

In the article, Scanlon explains that Parties to CITES abide by Resolution Conf. 9.10 (Rev. CoP15), adopted in 1994 and updated in 2010. The resolution recommends that illegally traded and confiscated elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn be restricted to four uses only: bona fide scientific, educational, enforcement or identification purposes. However, Scanlon notes that where this is not possible, the resolution allows countries to either save or destroy specimens. He explains that a country’s decision to publicly destroy its confiscated stockpiles of elephant ivory or rhinoceros horn is an opportunity to draw attention to the scale, nature and impacts of the crimes and to act as a deterrent to illegal trade.

Scanlon emphasizes that while the destruction of confiscated elephant ivory or rhino horn cannot stop illegal trade in elephant ivory or rhinoceros horn, when combined with consistent enforcement measures, it can serve as a deterrent. [CITES and confiscated elephant ivory and rhino horn – to destroy or not destroy?]