Economics of antipoaching enforcement and the ivory trade ban

Citation
Eh. Bulte et Gc. Van Kooten, Economics of antipoaching enforcement and the ivory trade ban, AM J AGR EC, 81(2), 1999, pp. 453-466
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Agriculture/Agronomy,Economics
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
ISSN journal
00029092 → ACNP
Volume
81
Issue
2
Year of publication
1999
Pages
453 - 466
Database
ISI
SICI code
0002-9092(199905)81:2<453:EOAEAT>2.0.ZU;2-A
Abstract
A model of elephant conservation that includes illegal poaching, enforcemen t effort, and legal culling is used to analyze enforcement and elephant pop ulations for alternative policies, with and without legal trade in ivory. C onsistent with previous theoretical models, banning trade may increase or d ecrease equilibrium stocks. As an empirical application, information for Za mbia, along with sensitivity analysis, are used to show that the ivory trad e ban is more effective in conserving the African elephant (Loxodonta afric ana) than in permitting open trade. However, in all situations, current ele phant populations likely exceed optimal levels as perceived by the range st ates, and further reductions in elephant numbers might be expected.