In as least 10 African countries you can today bye a permit to hunt/kill elephants and yes you get to keep the tusks, it's important tourism to their economy. It's well regulated by the goverments to maintain populations of healthy herds due to the lost elephant habitat.
Most illegal ivory come from countries run by warlords that turn a blind eye to poachers. On the black market ivory = guns.
Google it, I did.
Prosecuting Ernie will not save one elephant or put one poacher out of business.
IMHO, J. Dale
BINGO!
Jeff Livingston