HI SR108

Urges Hawaii residents and businesses to comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and refrain from buying or selling ivory of unknown origin that may have been illegally smuggled into the state.

Notes that African elephant slaughter has reached crisis proportions, with tens of thousands killed annually by poachers for ivory trafficking occurring at the highest recorded rate ever.

Cites example of Zakouma National Park in Chad where elephant population declined from approximately 4,350 in 2002 to only 457 today due to mass hunting.

Acknowledges that despite federal bans on African elephant ivory sales since 1989, one-third of ivory products sold in the United States have illegal origins according to Care for the Wild International.

Requires certified copies of the resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Business Economic Development and Tourism, Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, and Better Business Bureau of Hawaii.