Regarding the ivory issue: I am a Wildlife Biologist who retired after 20+ years with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, mostly working with endangered species. The ivory issue was brought about by concerns with the international listing under CITES [The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species] has been ratified by 185 nations, including the United States, and the European Union. It regulates the international trade in animals and plants that may be threatened by trade. The issue was less the commercial trade in ivory under the CITES rules than the fraudulent trade by rogue nations and black-market selling of ivory. Unfortunately, the legal trade in ivory (harvested as culls of rogue elephants & overpopulation in limited areas) suffered. When I left, there was some discussion of lifting some of the bans but much arguing between nations was delaying the partial lift. I agree that the issue was becoming more emotionally and politically based than biologically based at that time. With no uniform protections at the state level, it is a mess!

Just providing some background info.