On Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill banning the import, purchase and selling of elephant ivory tusks and rhinoceros horns.

"With this legislation, we are making it clear that there are strict consequences for individuals who would seek to profit from trafficking in these products and their harvesting that brings far-reaching, harmful consequences on endangered animal populations," Christie said in a press release. "These stricter measures will help to reduce the amount of criminal activity that surrounds this industry while protecting wildlife."

The ban will begin in February, according to The Associated Press. Gov. Christie and other sponsors of the bill believe the ban will help diminish the demand for ivory and horns, thus helping protect the animals from slaughter. Those who disobey the law will face a fine of either $1,000 or one equal to double the value of the illegal animal parts, "whichever is greater," the press release explains. Continued offenses will be considered a fourth-degree fine, punishable by a fine of either $5,000 or twice the value of the contraband.

"The economic penalties associated with this legislation will have a direct, severe effect on those in illegal possession of ivory," Sen. Christopher Bateman said via the release. "Ivory trafficking is at the highest rate ever recorded, we must work with other states to crack down on organized crime connected with ivory sales."

According to 96 Elephants, a Wildlife Conservation Society campaign dedicated to "uniting to help spread the word so that people everywhere stop buying ivory and end the senseless slaughter," to its official website says, the African elephant population was 1,200,000 in 1980, but in 2012 was a mere 420,000. In Africa, 96 elephants per day are reportedly slaughtered for ivory.

Confiscated animal parts will be sent to the Department of Environmental Protection, which will either destroy or donate them.

The decision has garnered praise from John Calvelli, WCS executive vice president of public affairs and director of 96 Elephants.

"Today is an historic day for elephants and conservation," Calvelli said in a statement. "The Wildlife Conservation Society and the 96 Elephants campaign praises N.J. Governor Chris Christie for signing into law a statewide ban on ivory sales. ... Once ivory is within a country's borders, it becomes almost impossible to distinguish legal from illegal ivory. As long as demand for ivory remains high and enforcement efforts are low, the legal trade will continue to serve as a front and criminal syndicates will continue to drive elephant poaching across Africa. Today's ban is a major step in ending this trade that currently threatens elephants with extinction ..."

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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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