China gets permission to buy legal African ivory stockpiles
Updated on 15 July 2008
China is given permission to buy African stockpiles of elephant ivory.
Despite being illegal for almost 20 years the UN body which oversees trade in endangered species has decided to allow a one off sale of ivory collected from natural deaths and elephant culls in overpopulated areas.
But animal rights campaigners say it will just stimulate demand, increasing poaching and the illegal ivory trade.
