The Canadian government is announcing the imposition of stricter measures that prohibit trade with raw elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn across the country’s borders, the department of Environment and Climate Change Canada said on Monday.
"These new, stricter measures will result in the prohibition of the import and export of raw elephant ivory and raw rhinoceros horn with very limited exceptions," Environment and Climate Change Canada said in a statement.
Exceptions include ivory and horns whose destinations are museums and zoos or whose import serves the purposes of scientific research or in assisting law enforcement, the statement said.
The possession of worked household and personal items made with the prohibited material will now require a permit, the statement said.
Canada adheres to its obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora through a permitting system for imports, exports and re-exports, the statement added.
An average of 14 elephant tusks and two rhinoceros horns were imported yearly from 2015-2021, according to government data.