WORLD WILDLIFE FUND URGES CONGRESS
                   TO TIGHTEN CONTROLS ON IVORY TRADE

     Washington, D.C. -- The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on June 22 called on
Congress to crack down on illegal ivory trade.  In testimony on the proposed
African Elephant Conservation Act before the House Subcommittee on Fisheries
and Wildlife Conservation and the Environment, WWF urged an international
campaign to end the precipitous decline of elephant populations.

     A provision in the act gives the Secretary of the Interior authority to
impose a moratorium on imports from any ivory-producing nation that has not
made significant progress in protecting its elephants by October, 1989.  WWF
recommended that the U.S. prohibit imports of ivory tusks from any country
that is not a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and does not have a valid CITES ivory
quota.  In addition, he asked for restrictions on raw and worked ivory
imports.

     The plight of the African elephant is critical.  The major causes of
this disaster are the world's seemingly insatiable appetite for ivory and the
greed of middlemen who foster illegal trade.  Only a major international
campaign with a multipronged approach can end the needless carnage.  Steps to
be taken include strengthening of CITES, refinement of quotas, and
strengthening anti-poaching efforts.

     The cost of the proposed effort would be $4 million a year for the next
three years.  If Congress authorizes and appropriates half that amount for
the Elephant Conservation Fund in the proposed legislation, WWF would seek to
raise an equal amount.  In the last 4 years WWF has spent over $1.5 million
helping African countries protect elephants and their habitat.