Elephant ivory [CITES appendix I]
Elephants are threatened with extinction, hence highly protected under CITES. Even if most of the instruments and bows contain a very small amount of ivory, a CITES certificate such as an MIC or TEC is required.
Due to poaching and illegal trade in ivory, strict border controls are carried out by some countries, in particular the United States.
Mammoth ivory
As an extinct species, the mammoth is not protected under CITES, which only covers endangered species. However, if your instrument contains mammoth ivory, you are not necessarily safe as customs officers may not be able to distinguish between elephant ivory (protected) and mammoth ivory (not protected) via a mere visual examination. We, therefore, recommend that you carry with you an expert certificate as evidence that the ivory contained in your instrument is exclusively mammoth ivory.
In specific cases (i.e. for rare instruments or if problems at the border can be expected), some CITES authorities issue “negative certificates”, which guarantee that your instrument does not include any protected species (based on an expert statement). Not all CITES authorities accept to issue such certificates, but some may accept to validate expert certificates with a simple e‑mail. Do not hesitate to contact your CITES authority and ask for such an email before travelling.