Ivory stockpiles could stymie government ban, expert says

China has taken a historic step to ban the commercial ivory trade by the end of 2017, but campaigners warn that legal ivory stockpiles could become an issue.

In 2008, China legally imported 62 metric tons of elephant tusks from four African countries under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, one of four legal sources in China.

To curb demand, the State Forestry Administration said it has put just 5 tons a year on the market for manufacturers.