Yahoo Japan sold 12 tons of ivory in two years, activists say
Yahoo Japan has been known for trying out some very eccentric sales programs, such as Yahoo-branded drinks, as well as a set of genetic tests in the past, but this time it has crossed the line with animal protection and rights groups around the world.
While selling branded drinks may not be considered that harmful, selling ivory is certainly very harmful. Yahoo Japan seems to have forgotten that the ivory trade is strictly illegal, as activists claim that it sold dozens of tons of ivory in the short space of two years.
The problem with ivory is that poachers kill adult elephants to get these beauties. And so far, over a million people have asked the Internet company to stop selling ivory.
On the other hand, Yahoo Japan appears to be defending the sale of ivory on its auction site. In a statement, it claims that it does not have “ownership control” over site , and therefore is unable to do anything about the situation. A spokeswoman for the company said Wednesday that it prohibits the sale of ivory and ivory products that violate the 1989 treaty that largely bans the trade.
“Since there is a possibility that some sales may be illegal, we have strengthened our policy. If we find a sale that is illegal, we can cancel it immediately,” said Takako Kaminaga from Yahoo Japan’s public relations office. “We patrol 24 hours a day.”
He said Yahoo Japan, which is partly owned by Yahoo Inc. and Softbank Corp., does not restrict ivory sales that do not violate the law. He also reiterated that Yahoo owns 35.5 percent of the company and does not tolerate any ivory sales.
The activist network Avaaz has also launched a petition calling on Yahoo to end ivory sales on its website. This petition has already garnered more than 1.1 million signatures so far.
Raw ivory is sought after for making elaborate traditional seals and other decorative items. Poachers kill tens of thousands of elephants a year to meet demand, despite a ban on the trade, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and other groups.
