London: The British ban on elephant ivory is killing hippos, conservationists say, as poachers and hunters take advantage of a loophole in the new law.

The Ivory Act, which will come into force later this year, was championed by Michael Gove, the British Environment Secretary, but conservationists argue that it puts hippos at grave risk as the import of their tusks will still be legal.

Conservationists warn that it is nearly impossible to tell whether a tusk is from a hippopotamus or an elephant. Credit:Shutterstock

Hippo ivory, which resembles that of an elephant, is being increasingly traded globally with 12,847 hippo teeth and tusks, weighing 3326 kilograms, bought and sold in 2018. Trade increased from 273 items in 2007 to 6113 in 2011.

Records show that in 2007 just four hippo tusks and skulls made it back to Britain. By 2017 that number had jumped to 18. This does not include the many items that incorporate hippo tusk, such as ornaments, furniture and musical instruments, which do not have to be registered with authorities as they are legally traded.