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ALBANY: The state Department of Environmental Conservation is planning to crush more than one ton of ivory tusks, trinkets, statues, jewelry and other decorative items in New York City’s Central Park on Aug. 3 at 10:30 a.m.
The public event, which is being organized with the Wildlife Conservation Society and Tiffany & Co., will send “a clear message that the state will not tolerate wildlife crime that threatens to wipe out Africa’s elephants,” DEC said in a release. The department conducted a similar ivory-crushing event in 2015 in Times Square.
A state law approved in 2014 banned selling or buying ivory or rhinoceros horns, except in very limited instances, and stepped up fines and penalties for illegal ivory trade. The federal government banned ivory sales last year.
New York City is a major hub for the worldwide ivory trade. DEC spokesman Sean Mahar said the pieces being crushed are predominantly from New York City, though some are from Buffalo. None are from the Albany area, he said.