eBay to ban global ivory trade on its sites

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Online auction site eBay will ban all international trade of elephant ivory on its sites, the company said on Tuesday in a move welcomed by an animal welfare group which found the bulk of the ivory was most likely illegal.

A spokeswoman for eBay said it was tightening its policy on ivory sales and that the ban on international trade in elephant ivory would come into effect by the end of June.

International Fund for Animal Welfare said it was the first online international trade ban of elephant ivory.

"IFAW believes that this is an important step forward, but that a total ban is ultimately needed, and we will continue to work with eBay and others to implement this," Peter Pueschel, IFAW head of the global program against wildlife trade, said in a statement.

The Fund said a survey carried out in February found that 94 percent of elephant ivory traded on eBay sites was potentially illegal and that eBay's policies varied from country to country and were often vague and not enforced.

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