The UK government has extended its landmark ivory ban to cover hippopotamuses, narwhals, killer whales, and sperm whales in a significant move to strengthen wildlife conservation.
Under the new rules, trading ivory from these species is now illegal, with offenders facing unlimited fines or up to five years in prison.
The expanded legislation builds upon the Ivory Act 2018, which initially focused on protecting elephants and came into effect in 2022.
Ivory is a dense, highly valuable material found in the tusks and teeth of several species. Historically, it has been used to create jewellery, piano keys, and religious artefacts, driving illegal poaching and endangering wildlife.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) states that after elephants, hippopotamuses are the next most targeted species for their ivory.
The newly protected species are already classified under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), with hippos and sperm whales listed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Beyond poaching, these species face increasing threats from pollution, habitat destruction, armed conflict, and climate change. The UK government asserts that shutting down domestic ivory markets is a critical step in preserving endangered wildlife globally.
The law now prohibits the import, export, and sale of ivory from the four newly listed species. Initially, the ban was also set to include walrus ivory, but trade restrictions already exist under separate UK seal product regulations.
Mary Creagh, the UK’s International Nature Minister, hailed the extension as a milestone for wildlife conservation.
She said: “The Ivory Act is one of the toughest bans in the world. This new government is showing global leadership by enshrining these protections into law to tackle the poaching of these iconic animals.”
By expanding the Ivory Act, the UK reinforces its commitment to protecting endangered species and tackling the devastating impact of the illegal ivory trade on global biodiversity.
