Guardia Civil officers from the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) of Alicante this week seized four African elephant legs that had been placed for sale online.
Officers are now investigating two men of Spanish nationality, aged 39 and 67, for a crime against flora and fauna which according to the Penal Code could be publishable with a prison term of six months to two years, alongside a fine. The penalty imposed could be the maximum allowed by law if, as in this case, the species or subspecies in question is categorised as in danger of extinction.
According to official sources, the seizure of the items took place in the city of Alicante. The owner of the parts of the African elephant – police described as a wealthy person – confirmed that “they were given to him a while ago and now he had decided to get rid of them” putting them up for sale for 600 euros, without any documentation “being a gift,” said the owner. Upon seeing the advert, the Guardia Civil acted immediately as the elephant is a protected species. The men under investigation are related, the 67 year old identified as the owner and the 39 year old is believed to have placed the advert.
The elephant is a highly protected species, included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and in Annex A of Regulation (ce) No. 338/1997. For this reason, the possession and sale of species protected by international law requires documentation proving their legality.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) includes the African elephant as a species that has the highest degree of protection in order to improve its conservation and ensure long-term survival.
The illegal trade in parts of the African elephant, be it ivory or, in this case, its legs, has a serious impact on the species and therefore the legislation that governs the marketing of species authorizes its sale only in exceptional circumstances in order to favour its conservation.
Guardia Civil say that the sale of animals in danger of extinction is a trade that is on the rise and for this reason the members of the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) have a mission to ensuring the survival of endangered species.