Nations Meet To Protect Wildlife

Elephants and the ivory trade come under the spotlight as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) summit opens. Just prior to the opening of the meeting, a committee voted that a limited sale of stockpiled ivory from southern Africa to Japan could go ahead. Some African countries want a 20-year van on trading ivory. The two week meeting will also seek protection for the sawfish, cedar and some corals. China's tiger farming business is being targeted by conservation groups also. The three yearly Cites meetings set restrictions on trade in species regarded as endangered or threatened. Everyone doesn't agree. While Kenya and Mali are seeking a total 20-year moratorium, Botswana and Namibia are seeking to increase exports.