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Hippos, walruses and whales could receive greater legal protection under UK government proposals to crack down on ivory poaching.
Ministers want to extend the Ivory Act because they say elephants are not the only animals at risk.
Conservationists have welcomed the move as sending a clear signal to the rest of the world .
Boris Johnson has previously announced that funding to tackle the illegal wildlife trade will be increased.
Now the environment department says it needs to go further.
Ivory markets
Under the new plans - which open for public consultation on Saturday - it would be broadened to cover other animals facing threats from hunters.
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)
Extending the Ivory Act to other ivory bearing species
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Summary We would like to know what you think about extending the Ivory Act (2018) to other ivory bearing species. This consultation is being held on another website. This consultation closes at
Consultation description
We would like to know what you think about extending the Ivory Act (2018) to other ivory bearing species.
We have set out some options for you to consider and provide us with evidence to support or reject our options. You can also suggest your own options, with evidence to support your proposal.
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