Hippos, narwhals, sperm whales and orcas get protection from ivory trade as UK ban takes effect

28 January 2025, 08:51 | Updated: 28 January 2025, 08:53

UK trade in ivory from hippos, narwhals, orcas and sperm whales has been banned as part of conservation efforts, the Government has said.

The Ivory Act, introduced to protect elephants, has been extended to ban the importing, exporting and dealing in items containing ivory from the four species, the Environment Department (Defra) said.

People breaking the rules by trading in ivory - found in teeth and tusks - from the species could face an unlimited fine or up to five years in jail.

The Government said closing domestic ivory markets was a critical part of the UK's efforts to conserve species worldwide, with all listed under the global Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) which aims to curb trade in at-risk wildlife.

The hippopotamus, which is vulnerable to extinction, is the species after elephants most at risk from the trade in its ivory, officials said.

Sperm whales and narwhals in Europe's Arctic region are also assessed as vulnerable to extinction on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species, while not enough is known about orcas, also known as killer whales, to assess their fortunes.

With the species facing a number of threats from human activity - including from pollution, shipping lanes, armed conflict and climate change - the ivory trade adds extra pressure and could make their survival less likely.

Mary Creagh, international nature minister, described the ban as an "important moment for all wildlife lovers".

She said: "The poaching of these wonderful animals for their ivory is sickening and this government will do all we can to end this horrible trade."

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She added: "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."

The ban is being introduced following consultation, and provides a limited exemption for the existing trade in artistic and cultural artefacts, the Government said.

The law was originally also going to extend to walrus ivory, but its import and trade in the UK is already banned under other legislation on seal products, subject to narrow exemptions.