Ivory has long been prized in Asia for its use in carvings and jewelry (Panjabi, 2014). It is seen as a symbol of prestige in some Asian cultures. China has long been a central part of the Asian trade in ivory, but recognizing the environmental consequences of ivory trafficking, the country banned the import of ivory as well as its domestic traffic in 2018. Using data on trafficking in wildlife parts from the C4DS seizure database, this research examines the impact of the law. It compares ivory seizures in China for the five years prior to the implementation of the law, and the five years following the law’s implementation. The research examines seizures of ivory made from imports by air, land, mail, and sea. The data were analyzed with a test of between subjects effects. The data indicate that the law had a substantial effect in reducing the number of ivory seizures, as well as the weight of ivory seizures in the country.

Authors:
Egan Green, Radford University, United States
Thomas W. Pierce, Radford University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Egan K. Green in currently a Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Radford University in the United States.

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