Winner
Brent Stirton
Getty Images
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"GOD'S IVORY"
CEBU, PHILIPPINES, 18 JANUARY 2012: Armed security guards watch over an ivory carved St Joseph statue on display at a religious exhibit in Park Mall shopping center, Cebu, Philippines, . There is a space to pray in front of the statue and there are also many other smaller Ivory icons on display. This is the largest Ivory carved statue of St Joseph in existence. There is a collective of wealthy collectors in the Philippines who both search out and commision new work, thus sustaining a trade which allows for the continuing and growing market for new ivory. This has an inevitable effect on threatened elephant populations worldwide, accelerating demand for a commodity which is growing in value as elephant numbers dwindle.
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