New protections for hippos and whales under Government ivory-ban proposals
Edinburgh Zoo pygmy hippo (David Cheskin/PA)
Hippos, walruses and whales could receive greater legal protection under Government proposals to extend the ivory ban.
Under the plans, the Ivory Act would be broadened to cover other ivory-bearing animals.
Currently, the law, which is yet to come into effect, covers the import, export and dealing in items containing elephant ivory.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is launching a consultation on the extension, said elephants are not the only animal sought for their ivory.
Elephants were the first species to be protected by the Ivory Act 2018 (Andrea K. Turkalo/PA)