JOHANNESBURG _ Giraffes won some protection and an attempt to reopen the elephant ivory trade was rebuffed at an international gathering in Geneva.
Member states of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna voted to protect giraffes, the world's tallest mammal, from unregulated trade in their body parts. They also rejected an attempt by Southern African states to win permission to sell their ivory stockpiles.
The population of giraffes, found in Africa, has fallen by about 40% over the last three decades to about 100,000 and many of them now live in isolated pockets of habitat across the continent. The measure, known as an Appendix II listing, was proposed by Chad, Kenya, the Central African Republic, Mali, Niger and Senegal.
"While giraffes fall prey to poaching for bush meat, bones, skin and tail hair, there is also a significant amount of international trade in their bone carvings and trophies," the International Fund for Animal Welfare said in a statement.
The proposal on elephant ivory was put forward by Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia was rejected by 101 votes to 23.
