导读:中国宣布到2017年底禁止所有象牙贸易和加工活动，受到国际社会盛赞，非洲象的未来再现曙光！
China has announced a ban on all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017.
中国宣布到2017年底禁止所有象牙贸易和加工活动。
Conservation groups hailed the decision as "historic" and a "game-changer" for the future of elephants.
自然保护机构赞赏这一决定，称其为“历史性的”，将“改变”大象未来。
The move follows a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in South Africa in October.
这一举措遵循去年10月在南非的濒危物种国际贸易公约（Cites）的一项决议。
China has the biggest ivory market in the world - some estimates suggest 70% of the world’s trade ends up there.
中国是世界上最大的象牙市场——估计占据了世界象牙贸易的70%。
Ivory can reach $1,100 (850pounds ) per kilogram in China.
象牙在中国的价格可达到每公斤1,100美元（850英镑）。
China’s State Council announced the details of the ban on Friday.
中国国务院上周五公布了禁令的细节。
The commercial processing and sale of ivory will stop by 31 March, and all registered traders will then be phased out, bringing a full halt to the market by the end of the year.
象牙的商业加工和销售将于3月31日停止，所有注册贸易商将被淘汰，到年底完全停止该市场。
Conservation group WWF welcomed the latest news, calling it a "historic announcement... signalling an end to the world’s primary legal ivory market and a major boost to international efforts to tackle the elephant poaching crisis in Africa".
自然保护组织世界自然基金会欢迎此消息，称之为“历史性的公告......这表示世界主要合法的象牙市场的终结，大力推动着解决非洲大象偷猎危机的国际努力”。
Elly Pepper, deputy director of wildlife trade for the Natural Resources Defense Council, praised China for its "great leadership" on the issue.
自然资源保护委员会野生动物贸易副主任Elly Pepper赞扬中国在这个问题上的“伟大领导”地位。
"Setting such an aggressive timeline to close - once and for all - the largest domestic ivory market in the world is globally significant.
“设定这样一个激进的时间表，一劳永逸地关闭世界上最大的国内象牙市场，拥有全球性的重要意义。”
"It’s a game changer and could be the pivotal turning point that brings elephants back from the brink of extinction," she said.
“这将扭转局面，是使大象从灭绝的边缘拯救回来的关键转折点，”她说。
While the international market in ivory has been closed since 1989, legal domestic markets have continued in many countries around the world.
虽然象牙的国际市场自1989年以来已经关闭，但合法的国内市场在世界许多国家继续存在。
A surge in the killing of elephants over the past seven years has seen populations across Africa shrink by a third, according to the recently published Great Elephant Census.
根据最近发表的大象种群数量普查，过去七年来，对大象杀戮的激增，使非洲减少了三分之一的大象。
China had backed the Cites resolution in October, surprising participants with the strength of its support for a ban.
中国支持Cites于去年10月份的决议，并展示了对支持该禁令令人惊讶的魄力。
Some delegates said Beijing had wanted an even stronger resolution.
一些与会代表说，北京甚至期待一个更强大的决议。
