19 CT Stores Caught Selling Elephant Ivory, Humane Society Says

CONNECTICUT — Nineteen stores in Connecticut were found selling over 160 items made out of elephant ivory, according to an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States. The organization visited a total of 29 stores across the state.

The items made from ivory were in the form of figurines, trinkets, and jewelry and ranged from a $12 broach to a pair of belt charms for $1,250. The state has no law prohibiting the intrastate trade of wildlife products like elephant ivory, according to the Human Society.

"Young elephants are not spared, and global elephant populations are being devastated by this illicit trade," the Humane Society said in a statement.

Each year, as many as 15,000 elephants are killed in Africa to supply the demand for ivory. A recent report found that the population of savanna elephants has declined by 60 percent and forest elephants by 86 percent, placing them close to extinction, the organization said.

Stores in the following Connecticut towns were selling items made out of ivory:

• Branford
• Canton
• Clinton
• Colchester
• Fairfield
• Farmington
• Glastonbury
• Marlborough
• New Hartford
• Norwalk
• Oakdale
• Old Greenwich
• Old Saybrook
• Pawcatuck
• Stratford

No vendor claimed to have the correct paperwork to sell ivory. Many sellers claimed either to not know about relevant laws or whether they needed documentation to sell ivory. Others were aware that the sale of most ivory is illegal under federal law and advised the investigator to wrap items well when traveling and feign ignorance regarding its material, according to the organization.

Federal law prohibits new ivory from being imported, exported, or sold across state lines. Antique ivory can be sold with documentation proving that the item is at least 100 years old.

“Each year, 10,000 to 15,000 elephants are killed by poachers in Africa to supply the demand for their ivory," Annie Hornish, Connecticut state director for the Humane Society of the United States, said in a statement. "Our investigation reveals that Connecticut buyers and sellers are directly contributing to the global illegal ivory trade. We must join the 13 states and Washington D.C. that have passed laws to prohibit the sale of ivory. Connecticut cannot continue to allow illegal ivory into our local markets and perpetuate more elephant deaths and criminal activity. Lawmakers are doing the right thing by prioritizing this critical issue and introducing a bill that would ban the sale of parts of at-risk species.”

Read the full report from the Humane Society of the United States.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to the name of the organization.