“We found the increase in hippo ivory trade in the UK within a month after the near total-ban of elephant ivory was introduced,” says Frankie Osuch, lead author of a report released by Born Free in September. Decorative carvingsAdvertisementLike ivory, hippo teeth and tusks are often used for decorative carvings, but they are cheaper and easier to obtain. It has been calculated that between 1975, when CITES records began, and 2017, 770,000kg of hippo teeth were legally traded. In 2020 hippo teeth were among the mammal body parts most often seized in the EU, according to a European Commission report. Wildlife experts also say that the legal and illegal trade in hippo teeth needs to be closely monitored.

Source: Daily Nation December 25, 2022 08:05 UTC