Arrest of China's 'Queen of Ivory' welcomed

Wildlife activist groups around the world are applauding the arrest of a Chinese woman by Tanzanian authorities in connection with a notorious ivory-trafficking ring.

A 66-year-old Chinese woman named Yang Fenglan was charged Wednesday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, along with a pair of Tanzanian men - Salvius Matembo and Manase Philemon. All face charges of involvement in organized crime.

Yang, known colloquially as the "Queen of Ivory", has been accused of trafficking 706 ivory tusks totaling nearly 2 tons between 2000 and 2014, the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) said in a release on Oct 8. It's worth $2.7 million in total.

The case was postponed until Monday, according to an Oct 8 report by the Associated Press.

Andrea Crosta, executive director and co-founder of the Elephant Action League, said this arrest is very important, but it's also important to stress that ivory is not just pulled out of Africa by Chinese consumers and traders.

"It's also actively pushed out by African traffickers, businessmen and corrupted government officials," she said.

Iris Ho, wildlife program manager at the Humane Society International, told China Daily that activists around the globe support the high-profile arrest. She added that the development sends a clear warning that the "days are numbered" for poachers and traffickers.

The illegal ivory trade is a public relations disaster, not only for China but also for Africa, Ho said. "More importantly, combating wildlife trafficking is as much a national interest to the US as it is to China. President Obama and President Xi's joint pledge to stem the ivory trade underscores that realization."

In September, US President Barack Obama and President Xi Jinping agreed to end commercial ivory sales in both the US and China. The move also was seen as a way to bolster's China's promise to crack down on the domestic ivory trade.

Amani Ngusaru, the WWF country director in Tanzania, said "Tanzania's elephants have long been an easy target for poachers and traffickers."

Tanzania's elephant population has dropped from a total of nearly 110,000 in 2009 to slightly more than 43,000 in 2014, according to figures from the Tanzanian government.

Elisabeth McLellan, co-head of the WWF's Wildlife Crime Initiative, said: "The arrest of the 'queen of ivory' will send shockwaves through the organized criminal networks driving the global poaching crisis. Law enforcement agencies are now targeting the kingpins behind the illegal wildlife trade, not just the foot soldiers."

Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the Chinese government's stance on fighting the ivory trade.

"We believe that it is the common responsibility of all countries to protect endangered wild species, including elephants, and the international community needs to tackle the problem with concerted efforts," Hua said. "The Chinese government underscores the importance of preserving wildlife, and will earnestly fulfill its international obligation by stepping up legislation and education to clamp down the smuggling of related items."

In January, China destroyed 6.1 metric tons of illegal ivory seized over the years in Guangdong province.

jackfreifelder@chinadailyusa.com