Recent reports indicate that demand for illegal ivory may have dwindled in the past year and a half. According to a study by group Save the Elephants, the current lower price of ivory may be a signal of its waning demand.  This is a good sign in the fight against elephant poaching and illegal ivory trade. 

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Some factors that may have contributed to this are: growing public awareness, an effort from President Xi Jinping to put a stop on the trade and an aggressive anti-corruption drive.

This is finally good news as thousands of elephanths get slaughtered each year due to poaching.

The trade for ivory was banned in 1989 but exemptions for individual sales were given and trade in old ivory was also permitted, allowing smugglers to bypass trade rules.

Over the years cost of ivory has grown reaching $2,100 per kilogram in 2014. However, due to Xi's advocacy to stop the trade, plus additional public awareness campaigns, the price had fallen to $1,100. A price drop more than half from last year.

Iain Douglas-Hamilton, conservationists and founder of Save the Elephants says "I am hugely encouraged by this, but I am also very wary because I know how these things can drift with the pendulum of concern."

"What we are seeing by and large is that the uncontrolled killing of elephants is continuing in most of Africa, although there are some bright spots," he added.

TagsElephant poaching, African Elephants, Ivory trade, elephant, Chinese ivory, Illegal trade, Save the Elephants