Bill Description:
Prohibits any person from selling, purchasing, importing, bartering, or possessing with intent to sell ivory or rhinoceros horn. Ivory is defined as a tooth or tusk composed of ivory from any animal, including elephants, hippos, mammoths, narwhals, walruses, and whales.[teaserbreak]
Exemptions:.
• A musical instrument containing ivory or rhino horn, provided that the weight of the ivory or horn is less than 200 grams.
• An antique (not less than 100 years old) that is not made primarily of the ivory or rhino horn, provided that the antique status is established with documentation, and provided that the total weight of the ivory or horn is less than 200 grams.
• Importation expressly authorized by federal license or permit.
• An employee or agent of the federal or state government undertaking any law enforcement activity pursuant to federal or state law.
• Transferring possession of ivory or rhino horn to a legal beneficiary upon the death of the owner of the item, or in anticipation of the owner’s death.
• Educational or scientific purposes.
Background:
African elephants are in grave danger due to the high price of ivory and consumer demand. An average of 96 elephants are slaughtered daily by poachers, and over 146,000 have been killed since January, 2012. Read more about the horrific ivory trade here.
Meanwhile, rhinos are killed for their horns, which are believed to have medicinal powers in parts of Asia. This market is fueling the slaughter of more than 1,000 rhinos per year. Only 25,000 black and white rhinos remain across all of Africa, and they could become extinct in the wild in as little as 12 years.
The U.S. ports are major destination for ivory and rhino horn, and Pennsylvania plays a role in this market. Legislation banning the trade in these products will reduce the demand, and therefore reduce the killing.
Take Action:
Pennsylvania residents, contact your state representative and urge him or her to support this legislation!
Read the full text and follow its progress here.