Isn ivory illegal?
The quick answer is no. The more involved answer is that the level of restriction depends on the type. Mammoth and mastodon ivory carry no restrictions because they are from extinct animals. Wart hog, hippopotamus, and elk “whistler” ivory are also unrestricted. Ivory from African elephants can no longer be imported into the US per the CITES treaty; however, any elephant ivory within the US can be legally bought and sold without restriction. Sperm whale was recently downlisted on the endangered species list; it is now considered “threatened”. Its teeth can be bought and sold via interstate commerce only by people with USFWS permits; however, they can be sold from person to person as long as the transaction is not across state lines. All other marine mammals are considered “protected” under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Whole walrus tusks can only leave Alaska if they are genuine native artwork or have special clearance; partial tusks must be tagged by the Alaska Fish and Game Dept.
