Kenya burns elephant tusks to protest 'unprecedented' levels of ivory poaching

a reply to: tommo39

A solution would be genetically engineered cows that grow huge tusks at a fantastic rate.

Downside: The bottom would fall out of the ivory market and all the cow ivory farmers would be forced to slaughter their herds.
Over time, the poachers in Africa would be back to killing elephants.

PETA would have a field day with that scenario.

All those tusks did not have to be sold at the same time, one ton could have been auctioned off once a year, and as one poster typed, the money used to fund anti poaching measures.

De Beers don't sell all the diamonds they mine every year, their stock pile of uncut diamonds is huge, only the very best of the 'crop' is released to merchants each year, including industrial diamonds. (as an example)

a reply to: butcherguy

With all due respect mate i don't think this would happen. Reason is that Ivory and Rhino horn are very sort after items in Asia. Ivory for jewelry,ornaments,buddha's etc and horn for medicine. Shame, but that's the tradition and superstition in Asia. Cheers....

Sadly, burning tusks reduces supply and only increases demand.

Probably a show put on by the state. The other three hundred tons are being sold to the highest bidder.

If you burn it, they will come.

a reply to: butcherguy

Over time, the poachers in Africa would be back to killing elephants.

They never stop. The price just went up. The rising price of ivory outweighing the risk of getting caught.

Bribes for border guards going up, too.

a reply to: intrptr

Probably a show put on by the state. The other three hundred tons are being sold to the highest bidder. 

Although the may be no proof, I have little doubt that this is true.
Corruption among government officials is huge over there.

a reply to: butcherguy

Gotta figure. How else the poachers get the tusks out of country, without a dedicated operation, under the official noses.

Buyers come to town, somehow gathering all those tusks together and putting them aboard a ship or plane to sell in foreign lands. And all the time customs at both ends go, what are these, tooth picks?

Export taxes are 'collected', cargo cleared, paperwork stamped.

Under penalty of death, people will still poach the ivory?

That is something interesting to consider. So, in criminal justice, stiff penalties don't really deter crime. At least, not unless its white collar crime, anyway.

So then...what do you do when you make laws that don't have their intended effect?

its the difference between pushing a string and pulling a string. The death penalty is pushing a string....ineffective leadership. Developing a viable economy so you aren't risking execution to feed your family would be pulling the string, and would be effective leadership.

just a little something to think about as we look at our own criminal justice system in the US

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Developing a viable economy so you aren't risking execution to feed your family would be pulling the string, and would be effective leadership.

This would help with so many of the worlds problems. So many

Feeding our families and ourselves comes first always. People will do that whatever it takes - no matter how ugly

Sounds like the "over-the-counter" price just went sky high because of the usual government failures !!

I bet there's some "off-the-record" traders involved with this corruption.

Take a closer look at the government "officials" directly involved and we might find a couple.

Why burn it? Don't let the animals death be in vein. All of these bones still had proper use...