The following statement was issued by WCS Vice President of International Policy Dr. Susan Lieberman in response to the European Union’s new ivory trade rules announced today.

The African savannah elephant and the forest elephant have now been classified as Endangered and Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM. 

New York, NY (Sept 22, 2016) – Man. District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”) Commissioner Basil Seggos, and Wildlife Conser- vation Society (“WCS”) Executive Vice President of Public Affairs John Calvelli, today announced the indictment of an antiques store, its owners, and a salesperson for selling and offering for sale illegal elephant ivory worth more than $4.5 million.