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> Also, do you really believe that it's the legality of ivory sales that's stopping the people who would become elephant farmers from being farmers? Yes. This

> Also, do you really believe that it's the legality of ivory sales that's stopping the people who would become elephant farmers from being farmers? Yes. This isn't like growing marijuana where your investment is relatively small, and you can just quickly grow it hydroponically in your shed under lights. No one is going to grow and hide an elephant in their shed. It takes years and investment and if you know you can't sell it at the end of that no one will try. I'll give you an example of someone who was trying to farm rhino, but then these kinds of bans kick in and make it unviable: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SAs-ban-on-trade-of-rhino-horn-under-attack-in-court-20150922 http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SAs-ban-on-trade-of-r... > If someone wants to buy heroin, the only thing that will scratch that itch is heroin. That is not the same with ivory as the potential customers can buy something else. But they don't. They want ivory and they're prepared to pay for ivory. And they'll pay $1500+ for their little ivory figurines. Are they paying that for a hit of heroin? Because if you can't even stop the financial might of street bums from buying drugs, how are you planning to stop the relatively rich Chinese buyers of ivory?

adamnemecek 11y ago
> No one is going to grow and hide an elephant in their shed. It takes years and investment and if you know you can't sell it at the end of that no one will try. So what you are saying is that this money would not really be going to help that many people, mostly only the people who currently already own large swaths of land, is that correct? > But they don't. They would if ivory was harder to obtain. Again, you don't see a black market for Kinder Surprise eggs. > They want ivory and they're prepared to pay for ivory. No, they want an antique or an art object. Or to show their wealth. There are many other ways of achieving that. If Ferraris became illegal, people would buy Lamborghinis.

adamnemecek 11y ago

> No one is going to grow and hide an elephant in their shed. It takes years and investment and if you know you can't sell it at the end of that no one will try. So what you are saying is that this money would not really be going to help that many people, mostly only the people who currently already own large swaths of land, is that correct? > But they don't. They would if ivory was harder to obtain. Again, you don't see a black market for Kinder Surprise eggs. > They want ivory and they're prepared to pay for ivory. No, they want an antique or an art object. Or to show their wealth. There are many other ways of achieving that. If Ferraris became illegal, people would buy Lamborghinis.