Fiona welcomes the announcement by China to ban ivory sales and increase their investment in protecting elephants.
China has increased investment in protecting elephants domestically includes: building protection channels, stepping up protection of habitats, enhancing protection, network and monitoring technology, updating resources, cooperating with communities and cracking down on illegal activities harming elephants and its habitats.
As of the end of 2017, China has closed their domestic ivory market. The ban will play an important role in tackling the prevalence of poaching of the African elephant - where on average 55 African elephants are illegally killed for their tusks per day. This means more African elephants are being poached for their ivory than are being born.
Fiona said:
"I welcome the ban introduced by China on their domestic ivory market. This is an issue I have campaigned on in the UK and China's decision to take similar actions domestically will support the global drive to tackle the ivory trade which has had such a devastating impact on the number of elephants remaining. Protecting them also protects the livelihood of the many people who care for them and the tourist trade which depends on their existence and which brings much needed income from developed countries into some of the poorest areas on Earth."