China will slap a total ban on the domestic ivory trade within a year, the government announced Friday, shutting the door to the world's biggest end market for poached ivory.
The State Council said in a notice a complete ban would be enforced by Dec. 31, 2017. A first batch of factories and shops will need to close and hand in their licenses by March 31.
Conservation groups applauded the ban, with WildAid's wildlife campaigner Alex Hofford calling it "the biggest and best conservation news of 2016."