Trade in live elephants

Updated on 17 September 2021

Trade in live elephants has attracted the attention of a number of stakeholders and the media over the past few years. The CITES Secretariat has issued several public statements to explain the application of CITES to trade in live elephants, and to clarify the relevant procedures under CITES. 

Additional information on the term ‘appropriate and acceptable destinations’, which appears in the annotation regarding the Appendix II listed populations of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) of Botswana and Zimbabwe is also available.