The sale of ivory from the tusks and teeth of five more species will be banned under government plans.
The import, export and dealing of elephant ivory was banned in the UK last year. The animals that could join the list are killer whales, hippos, walruses, narwhals, and sperm whales.
The creatures are hunted and killed for their ivory which is often used in decorative carvings.
The government plans to extend the Ivory Act 2018 to include them.
People found to be breaking the law can be given unlimited fines or be jailed for five years.
Parliament must vote on the extension of the Act before it can come into force.
The species set to be included in the ban are already at risk from climate change and habitat loss, and conservationists are concerned that poaching for ivory will drive them closer to extinction.
“The Ivory Act is one of the toughest bans of its kind in the world and by extending greater legal protections to five more species, we are sending a clear message the…
This article was written by and originally published on www.bbc.co.uk