Zimbabwe seeks backing to sell stockpile of seized elephant ivory

A Zimbabwe National Parks official inspects some of the elephant tusks during a tour of ivory stockpiles, in Harare (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP)

Zimbabwe is seeking international support to be allowed to sell its stockpile of seized ivory, saying the 600 million US dollars it expects to earn is urgently needed for the conservation of its rapidly growing elephant population which it describes as “dangerous”.

Officials from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority showed ambassadors from European Union countries the stockpile of ivory tusks that have been seized from poachers and collected from elephants that have died.