China will ban all domestic ivory trade within the country by the end of 2017, the country\u2019s announced Friday, in a \u201cgame-changing\u201d move that wildlife campaigners say may help protect the species against poachers. This move is significant for the world\u2019s elephant population, as conservationists estimate that are killed by poachers each year, mostly to satisfy the demand for ivory products in Asia \u2014. A published in September showed that the savannah elephant population has declined 30% in the past seven years, mostly due to poaching. The survey placed the number of wild elephants on the continent at just less than 400,000. The first phase of China\u2019s ivory trade ban will be implemented by the end of March, when the government begins the process of shutting down the country\u2019s 34 processing facilities and 143 designated ivory trading venues. In , an official with the State Forestry Administration said that \u201cdozens\u201d of these organizations will be closed by April 1, 2017. The Chinese Ministry of Culture will assist employees of the ivory trade in finding new occupations that utilize their carving skills, likely in antique restoration and maintenance. Per the directive, China will also step up its enforcement of illegal ivory sales and set up a system to regulate the transfers or sales of those ivory goods currently owned by citizens. All domestic processing and trading of ivory will be shut down by Dec. 31, 2017. Animal welfare and conservation groups worldwide are applauding China\u2019s decision. president and CEO Carter Roberts called it \u201ca game changer for elephant conservation\u201d. In a press release, the Asia Director, Aili Kang wrote, \u201cThis is great news that will shut down the world\u2019s largest market for elephant ivory. I am very proud of my country for showing this leadership that will help ensure that elephants have a fighting chance to beat extinction.\u201d The Chinese government also plans to launch a public awareness campaign about the brutalities of the ivory trade to discourage consumers, a move through which conservation groups have seen success in China in the past. A four-year anti-ivory campaign by the International Fund for Animal Welfare \u2014 which depicted a young elephant excited about his new tusks walking with his mother \u2014 reached 75% of the urban Chinese population. showed that this specific PSA had reduced the number of Chinese people likely to purchase ivory from 54% of the population to 26%.<\/p>\n