'Alarming' number of Brits buying wildlife souvenirs

More than 600,000 Britons have returned from holidays abroad with wildlife souvenirs, including ivory, in the past five years, a poll by the International Fund for Animal Welfare has revealed.

Ifaw said that threatened species, including elephants, rhinos, leopards and turtles, are being slaughtered internationally - and mostly illegally - in order to feed an increasing trade that turns ivory, fur, claws, teeth and shells into holiday trinkets.

Nikki Kelly, Ifaw wildlife campaigner, said: "Most of these souvenirs are being bought unwittingly simply because travellers are confused by the complex laws governing trade in wild animals or because they just aren't aware of them. Worse still, wildlife souvenirs are often sold so openly abroad many tourists mistakenly believe they must be legal."

Ifaw has launched an international awareness campaign, 'Think Twice', which is urging travellers to avoid buying wild animal trinkets when on holiday. The campaign will be strongly targeting travellers heading to South Africa - which attracts nearly 500,000 British tourists each year - where the charity says a "rampant" souvenir trade is endangering wildlife in South, Western and Central Africa, as well as Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Ifaw said that a recent undercover investigation in South Africa revealed that souvenirs made from elephant ivory and hair, sharks' teeth, lion and cheetah claws, porcupine quills and zebra skin were being "extensively, openly and often illegally sold in airports, markets and curio shops".

Ifaw's campaign is being supported by the Association of British Travel Agents. Keith Richards, ABTA's Head of Consumer Affairs, said: "The destruction being caused to wildlife just for the sake of souvenirs has alarmed us, not least because tourism is among the world's fastest growing businesses.

"Unless the travel industry acts now, some of the very animals so many people go abroad to see may soon only be found on our mantelpieces or in our jewellery boxes."

(KMcA/SP)