Consumers globally are becoming increasingly intolerant of any business or nation that directly or indirectly supports wildlife destruction, especially endangered wildlife, such as elephants and whales.  Thus, affected businesses range from retailers that sell ivory chess pieces to restaurants that sell whale meat.  The USA crushed over 6 tons of elephant ivory in November 2013 as part of a global effort to combat elephant poaching, that a recent article says kills one elephant every 16 minutes.  The Chinese government in January 2014 destroyed more than 6.1 tons of elephant ivory to help stop illegal ivory smuggling, that is fueling poaching, that is decimating elephant populations in Africa.  There are today less than 100,000 elephants in Africa, down from more than 300,000 in 2002, primarily because the demand for ivory remains robust in Asia, particularly China.  A recent article reports that the International Fund for Animal Welfare statistics are that the price of ivory in China is increasing annually and now is about $3,000 per kilogram.

Regarding whales, many New Zealanders, supported by Australians, are outraged about Japan’s “large-scale” whaling operations in the Antarctic.  Japan in December 2013 issued permits allowing its whalers to kill up to 935 Antarctica minkes, 50 fin whales, and 50 humpbacks “as part of research into sustainable hunting.”  A recent article says whale meat is regarded as a delicacy in Japan and can fetch up to US$38 for 100 grams (3.5oz).  Japan is a member however of the International Whaling Commission that has banned commercial whaling in a 31-million-square–mile area around Antarctica known as the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.

Ana Campoy (2013, “Crushing Illegal Ivory Trade,”  Wall Street Journal, November 15, 2013, p. A3.  Also, Dinny McMahon (2014), “Chinese Officials Destroy Tons of Illegal Ivory,” Wall Street Journal, (January 7, 2014, p. A10.  Lucy Craymer, (2014), “New Zealand Assails Japanese Whaling,” Wall Street Journal, January 7, 2014, p. A8.