we decided to make a special on the ivory trade after learning that last
ivory trade after learning that last
ivory trade after learning that last year alone more than twelve percent of
year alone more than twelve percent of
year alone more than twelve percent of the world’s elephants were killed for
the world’s elephants were killed for
the world’s elephants were killed for their tusks we wanted to know why the
their tusks we wanted to know why the
their tusks we wanted to know why the demand for ivory is as high now as
demand for ivory is as high now as
demand for ivory is as high now as perhaps it’s ever been our production
perhaps it’s ever been our production
perhaps it’s ever been our production team had just six weeks to answer this
team had just six weeks to answer this
team had just six weeks to answer this question and so we split up while I
question and so we split up while I
question and so we split up while I worked in East Africa teammates were
worked in East Africa teammates were
worked in East Africa teammates were filming in China where we’d heard the
filming in China where we’d heard the
filming in China where we’d heard the current demand is the greatest there we
current demand is the greatest there we
current demand is the greatest there we worked with brian christie one of the
worked with brian christie one of the
worked with brian christie one of the world’s top authorities on the ivory
world’s top authorities on the ivory
world’s top authorities on the ivory trade brian investigated the problem for
trade brian investigated the problem for
trade brian investigated the problem for three years and his work was about to be
three years and his work was about to be
three years and his work was about to be published in a national geographic cover
published in a national geographic cover
published in a national geographic cover story that added a serious deadline to
story that added a serious deadline to
story that added a serious deadline to our work we knew our team had to be out
our work we knew our team had to be out
our work we knew our team had to be out of china before the article hit the
of china before the article hit the
of china before the article hit the newsstands why well Brian’s got some
newsstands why well Brian’s got some
newsstands why well Brian’s got some pretty potent things to say by every
pretty potent things to say by every
pretty potent things to say by every measure china is the world’s villain
measure china is the world’s villain
measure china is the world’s villain when it comes to the illegal ivory trade
when it comes to the illegal ivory trade
when it comes to the illegal ivory trade and the reasons are obvious China has a
and the reasons are obvious China has a
and the reasons are obvious China has a long history of ivory consumption it has
long history of ivory consumption it has
long history of ivory consumption it has a booming economy they are looking back
a booming economy they are looking back
a booming economy they are looking back into their past for symbols that they
into their past for symbols that they
into their past for symbols that they associate with their ancestors with core
associate with their ancestors with core
associate with their ancestors with core values and they’re expressing those core
values and they’re expressing those core
values and they’re expressing those core values in ivory ivory has been prized in
values in ivory ivory has been prized in
values in ivory ivory has been prized in China for over 2,000 years as a status
China for over 2,000 years as a status
China for over 2,000 years as a status symbol
symbol
symbol perfect for depicting religious figures
perfect for depicting religious figures
perfect for depicting religious figures and material like no other given the
and material like no other given the
and material like no other given the circumstances
circumstances
circumstances today the just obsession with wealth and
today the just obsession with wealth and
today the just obsession with wealth and the momentum of the Chinese economy the
the momentum of the Chinese economy the
the momentum of the Chinese economy the momentum of a modern Chinese life leaves
momentum of a modern Chinese life leaves
momentum of a modern Chinese life leaves no time seems to me for thinking about
no time seems to me for thinking about
no time seems to me for thinking about the elephant in Africa during production
the elephant in Africa during production
the elephant in Africa during production ivory traders admitted they’d sell
ivory traders admitted they’d sell
ivory traders admitted they’d sell poached ivory for $300 a pound but once
poached ivory for $300 a pound but once
poached ivory for $300 a pound but once it’s carved even small pieces can go for
it’s carved even small pieces can go for
it’s carved even small pieces can go for that much mr. Leung this is
that much mr. Leung this is
that much mr. Leung this is extraordinary work how long have you
extraordinary work how long have you
extraordinary work how long have you been carving ivory 58 yes
been carving ivory 58 yes
been carving ivory 58 yes 58 years yeah so you started as a boy
58 years yeah so you started as a boy
58 years yeah so you started as a boy master Leung spent two years carving
master Leung spent two years carving
master Leung spent two years carving this piece it is valued at over a
this piece it is valued at over a
this piece it is valued at over a million dollars
when I see an older master carver at
when I see an older master carver at work I can understand this is an art
work I can understand this is an art
work I can understand this is an art form that is unique to China that
form that is unique to China that
form that is unique to China that they’ve developed over thousands of
they’ve developed over thousands of
they’ve developed over thousands of years and the Chinese government is
years and the Chinese government is
years and the Chinese government is saying when you look at a master Harbor
saying when you look at a master Harbor
saying when you look at a master Harbor this is what we want to preserve but
this is what we want to preserve but
this is what we want to preserve but then we move to a factory our research
then we move to a factory our research
then we move to a factory our research revealed that 83% of China’s huge middle
revealed that 83% of China’s huge middle
revealed that 83% of China’s huge middle class intends to buy ivory products in
class intends to buy ivory products in
class intends to buy ivory products in the future retail stores in China
the future retail stores in China
the future retail stores in China receive their ivory from 33 government
receive their ivory from 33 government
receive their ivory from 33 government registered carving factories you walk
registered carving factories you walk
registered carving factories you walk through any of the major Chinese
through any of the major Chinese
through any of the major Chinese factories and you see row upon row of
factories and you see row upon row of
factories and you see row upon row of young people at work and you see in the
young people at work and you see in the
young people at work and you see in the largest factory empty seats
largest factory empty seats
largest factory empty seats these aren’t empty seats because people
these aren’t empty seats because people
these aren’t empty seats because people have been fired these are empty seats
have been fired these are empty seats
have been fired these are empty seats because people have not yet been hired
because people have not yet been hired
because people have not yet been hired Chinese government intends to expand its
Chinese government intends to expand its
Chinese government intends to expand its ivory market that could be fatal news
ivory market that could be fatal news
ivory market that could be fatal news for the elephant the elephant population
for the elephant the elephant population
for the elephant the elephant population is now at the lowest level ever recorded
is now at the lowest level ever recorded
is now at the lowest level ever recorded and some people believe the elephant may
and some people believe the elephant may
and some people believe the elephant may be almost extinct in the wild in just 10
be almost extinct in the wild in just 10
be almost extinct in the wild in just 10 years or so it’s for the world to choose
years or so it’s for the world to choose
years or so it’s for the world to choose there’s this craft or this species more
there’s this craft or this species more
there’s this craft or this species more valuable it was clear from what our team
valuable it was clear from what our team
valuable it was clear from what our team was capturing in China that ivory demand
was capturing in China that ivory demand
was capturing in China that ivory demand is expanding
is expanding
is expanding but where was it coming from and how are
but where was it coming from and how are
but where was it coming from and how are they moving it in the next episode we’ll
they moving it in the next episode we’ll
they moving it in the next episode we’ll go undercover in East Africa with Aidan
go undercover in East Africa with Aidan
go undercover in East Africa with Aidan Hartley to expose criminals selling
Hartley to expose criminals selling
Hartley to expose criminals selling poach ivory house have a look at the
poach ivory house have a look at the
poach ivory house have a look at the rest of them
rest of them
rest of them [Music]
”
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