Elephant boots – Learn more with Healthier Pets Today! So, are elephant boots legal or not? Generally speaking, the elephant boots will be legal if the skin is received legally.
The elephant skin trade is governed and supervised due to the requirement for ethical and sufficient environmental precautions.
The intention is to safeguard both the populations of animals and the ecosystems in which they live.
Table of Contents
1. Banning of Elephant Products
The ownership and selling of products made from elephants are subject to particular laws in the US.
Owning elephant boots is permitted in practically all US states based on these laws. Only three states now have more stringent regulations banning the import and sale of elephant skins in New York, New Jersey, and California.
If you own or buy elephant boots, you need to be informed of the specific laws in your country to ensure you stay within the law.
2. Elephant Skin Boots Legality Overview
1. International Regulations
International legislation is one of the first things to comprehend when it comes to elephant skin footwear.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is the primary law regulating this situation.
The trade of elephant products, especially their skin, is heavily regulated by CITES.
It is important to note that there are less stringent restrictions on elephant skin than on ivory, which is almost always prohibited.
This indicates that, in those situations, the commerce in elephant skin may be legal if it complies with CITES laws.
The fact that the animals were legally killed and not stolen is the main criterion in this case.
2. Country-Specific Laws
The laws governing footwear made of elephant skin differ from nation to nation. Elephant skin sales are permitted and successful in some countries, such as Zimbabwe.
However, certain nations might have more stringent regulations and additional restrictions on purchasing, possessing, and importing products made from elephant skin.
Before buying or offering elephant boots for sale, check the local regulations in your nation.
3. Penalties and Consequences
Elephant skin footwear laws are strictly enforced internationally and in each nation, and breaking them can result in fines and even legal repercussions.
Many countries have substantial penalties for breaking CITES requirements.
Additionally, failing the regulations that apply to your nation may result in penalties, legal troubles, or even the seizure of products made from elephant skin.
3. Factors Affecting Elephant Skin Boot Ownership
1. CITES Certification
As an ethical owner of elephant boots, you should confirm that the vendor conforms with CITES guidelines.
To ensure your shoes comply with the rules and that the leather comes from elephants that were legally hunted or died naturally, ask for the CITES certification when buying boots made of elephant skin.
2. Sustainable Sourcing
According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, the viability of the elephant species is not seriously threatened by the skin trade.
You should also consider how long things made from elephant skin can last.
Research your elephant skin boot store and choose brands that source from nations or organizations with effective conservation initiatives to ensure you support ethical and sustainable methods.
3. Public Perception and Controversy
As an owner or prospective buyer of elephant cowboy boots, you should know there is a chance for controversy.
Products with elephant skin, such as boots, might make consumers with ethical concerns feel differently.
Consumers and animal rights advocates have sought more stringent guidelines and a complete ban on all US-made products made from elephant skin.
News stories have also been written about prominent celebrities.
4. Is Elephant Leather Ethical?
Each person will have to make their judgment on the matter of elephant skin boots.
An essential component of this response is ensuring that the elephant hide you use was obtained lawfully and harvested ethically.
5. Can You Still Get Elephant Skin Boots?
Elephant skin cowboy boots are currently widely accessible from brick-and-mortar and online cowboy boot vendors.
6. The Current Problem
The number of elephants slain in Myanmar is increasing due to the demand for elephant parts used in traditional Asian medicine.
The principal market for things made from elephants is neighboring China. Even when the Chinese government banned the trade in ivory earlier this year, ivory remains the elephant’s most valuable organ.
However, conservationists are already witnessing an increase in demand for other animal parts to be used in traditional medicine, including the penis, feet, and even the trunks of animals.
7. Where Does This Happen?
Mainly in order is the hide or skin, which is thought to be a treatment for dermatitis. Most elephant killings occur in the Irrawaddy division’s Pathein and Ngaputaw townships, a significant habitat for wild elephants.
However, recent killings have also been reported on both sides of the Bago mountain range in central Myanmar and the Mandalay division.
The hunters use poisoned arrows to kill elephants. They then watch the animal die slowly and painfully before skinning it and chopping off the marketable portions.
The poachers work in tiny gangs and frequently convince locals to serve as their guides or helpers.
What’s Been Happening In Poaching
According to the World Wildlife Fund, at least 20 elephant corpses have been discovered this year with their skin removed.
Initially, poachers would hunt male elephants for their tusks, but as their numbers are declining, they are now killing any of them to sell their other parts, such as their skin, trunk, feet, or penis, which are all in high demand in the Chinese market.
The other items are taken because they are thought to have therapeutic properties, while the meat under the foot is considered highly delectable.
8. The Price of Poaching
There is a shortage of information on Myanmar’s wildlife trade, and there needs to be accurate estimates of the wages paid to poachers.
However, a trip to Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, and its tourist-friendly Bogyoke Market indicates how profitable the trade can be.
A few stores off the main market road sell actual ivory trinkets and jewelry in contrast to the majority of merchants who sell phony ivory bracelets.
These stores also sell elephant teeth. One vendor offered elephant teeth for between US$140 and $250 per tooth, depending on size.
Undoubtedly an overstated estimate is shown before haggling with a curious tourist, but a sign of the possible high market worth.
An ivory bangle can sell for more than $100 even at wholesale pricing, and a necklace made of beads can cost up to $150.
This is according to research from the University of Yangon. elephant skin boots cost 150,000 kyats (about $120) per kg in local markets for therapeutic usage, while elephant teeth cost roughly 200,000 kyats per kg.
10. The Endangerment of Elephants
According to the IUCN Red List, which contains official data on threatened species globally, elephants are endangered throughout Asia, with just 40,000 to 50,000 remaining in 2003, down from more than 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.
With only 1,400 wild elephants and 6,000 domestic timber elephants, Myanmar has the highest population of Asian elephants after India.
The Myanmar government stopped logging in 2014 to reduce deforestation, making the timber elephants more susceptible to trafficking or poaching.
Conservationists are concerned about the impact an ivory ban by China’s government will have on border marketplaces like Mong La by the end of this year.
Important Facts to Know About The Sale of Elephant Boots…
Owning elephant boots is sometimes against the law, but knowing the rules in your state and country is crucial.
The sale and import of elephant skin boots are now prohibited in only three US states.
