When this ban goes ahead, every side will lose – most importantly the elephant.
Dr Peacock, whose views were aired in the same issue, will sadly be giving up his collection in vain because it will not save one animal.
I have previously suggested in ATG’s Letters page that there should be a tax on pre-1947 ivory. That bird has now flown.
The question I now pose is what is going to happen to the old ivory that, once the law is enacted, will become illegal to sell?
I fear the answer is that it will be destroyed. This will amount to iconoclasm. What environment secretary Michael Gove is doing is winning votes – no more, no less.
There is a better way.
Edric van Vredenburgh
