Wild Animals

Elephant Poaching and Ivory Trade

Despite international ivory trade bans, elephant poaching continues to threaten wild populations with devastating welfare consequences for individuals, families, and entire ecosystems.

Key Facts

Approximately 20,000 African elephants are poached annually for ivory
The 1989 CITES international ivory trade ban dramatically reduced poaching but did not eliminate it
Domestic ivory markets in several countries continue to provide demand that drives illegal supply
Elephants killed by poachers are often mothers, leaving orphaned calves with severe psychological trauma
Elephant orphans raised without their family groups show long-term behavioral abnormalities

Welfare Considerations

Elephant poaching inflicts welfare harms that extend far beyond the animals directly killed. Elephant families maintain complex social structures and long memories. When matriarchs are killed for their larger tusks, families lose irreplaceable knowledge. Orphaned calves exhibit signs of PTSD and require years of dedicated care and social reintegration to develop into functional adults. The psychological trauma of poaching events affects entire elephant communities.

What You Can Do

Never purchase ivory products regardless of claimed age or legality
Support anti-poaching organizations working on the ground in elephant range countries
Advocate for complete domestic ivory market closures in all countries
Donate to elephant orphanage and rehabilitation programs in affected regions
Engage with companies and cultural institutions to ensure no ivory in their supply chains