VOA常速英语:Africa’s Elephant Ivory: Sell or Destroy?(翻译)

A powerful scene here at Nairobi National Park in April,105 tons of elephant ivory and 1.35 tons of rhino horn destroyed as Kenya pledged its support for a complete ban of the ivory trade during the upcoming Convention on International trade in endangered species.

"So our philosophy has been to burn the entire stockpile,because this is one way of demonstrating to the world that if you offer trade in ivory,we give the misimpression that, actually, ivory is available.And yet it’s this very ivory that’s endangering our species.”

Tens of thousands of elephants have been killed in recent years for their ivoryas a result of strong demand from Asian markets.The recent “Great Elephant Census”showed an alarming 30 percent decline in African savanna elephants between 2007 and 2014.

About 30 African countries, including Kenya, want a comprehensive ban on all international trade in ivory.

"Nobody should buy ivory in the world."

But Namibia and Zimbabwe have officially requested through CITES the right to sell their ivory stockpiles.Along with South Africa, these countries say they want to put the proceeds toward conservation efforts.

South Africa says destroying ivory makes it more scarce,upping the black market price and driving more poaching.

But Kenya argues that previous "one-time" sales have demonstrated the opposite is true,and that opening up trade for some countries puts elephants across the continent at risk.

"It is very, very hard to distinguish between legal and illegal ivory,and that means that having a legal supply of ivory in the market perpetuates the killing.And so, the cycle continues.Where you have trade, you have benefits going to a few kingpins,and you deny livelihoods to communities, and the populations continue to suffer.”

Although elephants are the top issue for Africa at the CITES talks,trade restrictions and allowances for close to 500 other species will also be on the table.