Yahoo Japan sold 12 tons of elephant ivory in two years, activists claim

More than a million people have called for the firm to stop ivory sales though it claims it does not have 'controlling ownership' of its Japan auctions site

Internet company Yahoo has been accused of aiding in the slaughter of elephants by allowing the trade of ivory on its Japanese auction site.

Activist network Avaaz has launched a petition calling for an end to Yahoo's "bloody secret" of permitting sales of ivory. The petition, which has more than 1m signatures, urges Yahoo chief executive Marissa Mayer and Yahoo Japan head Manabu Miyasaka to "urgently stop all ivory sales from sites/platforms in Japan and all other markets".