Tusk, Tusk

The two pairs of pure, uncarved African elephant tusks were expected to bring their owner between $20,000 and $28,000 in an auction last week at Sotheby's in New York City. But they never made it to the block. Last week Sotheby's not only withdrew the tusks from sale but promised to stop dealing in elephant tusks or any jewelry, furniture or artwork containing ivory that is less than 50 years old. The change of heart was inspired by an outcry that began soon after the tusks appeared in Sotheby's catalog. Clients and environmentalists said the sale would encourage poachers who are wiping out Africa's elephant herds. In a half-page ad in the New York Times, a Connecticut-based group called Friends of Animals asked, "Why auction elephant tusks in the midst of an elephant holocaust?"

Sotheby's removed the tusks from the market by buying them from the unidentified owner, and will donate them to a museum. "We will never again sell elephant tusks," said Michael Ainslie, president of Sotheby's. "We would hope it sets an example." Environmental groups hope so as well. The U.S. imports about $30 million worth of ivory annually. Much of it is illegally harvested in a slaughter that each year wipes out nearly 100,000 of Africa's elephants, reducing their current numbers to as few as 600,000. To cut demand, the African Wildlife Foundation, a Washington-based group, has written letters to 11,000 jewelers in the U.S. asking them to stop selling ivory products. Several major retailers, including Macy's, have already agreed to phase out ivory sales.