People should be banned from selling ivory goods over the internet, says a leading animal welfare organisation.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) said such sales were helping to drive up the "illegal trade which was putting elephants at risk"; it singled out online auction site Ebay for particular criticism.

The organisation said the auction site was not regulating its policy on ivory sales or ensuring sellers had the correct documentation. To back up its claims it said research it had carried out on the site discovered that of the 424 elephant ivory items listed, only 10 were "fully compliant" with the auction site's policy on ivory sales.

IFAW said only two listings offered certification from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is needed when selling or buying the ivory in this country.

Ebay hit back by saying it was committed to working with IFAW to tackle the problem of illegal ivory sales.

A statement said: “Ebay’s policies restrict the sale of ivory in accordance with existing UK and international law. We have had a number of positive and fruitful discussions with the IFAW about [this]. All items made from or containing ivory may only be listed [on Ebay] under one of the following two conditions:

"The seller has documentary proof that the item is older than 1st June 1947, the proof is included in the listing, and the item is in a significantly worked form.

“The item is accompanied by an Article 10 certificate as issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)… and such certificate is included in the listing.”

However, the IWAF admitted that policing these sales was virtually impossible and the internet acted as the perfect cover for the illegal trade in ivory, which is why it wanted a complete ban on sales over the internet.

Rosa Hill spokeswoman for IFAW told Computeractive: “The problem with ivory is that it is virtually impossible to tell the difference between illegal and legally sourced items - they look the same."

She said it is “extremely difficult to uphold the law, especially over the internet".

“The best way to stop the internet acting as a cover for illegal trade is to ban all online ivory trade,” she added.

This is a similar view to that of antiques dealer Peter Petrou, director of Works of Art.

“It would be ridiculous to say that all ivory trading should be banned as genuine antique items are a piece of history. However, those trading over the internet and sites such as Ebay without the correct documentation are driving an illegal trade,” he told Computeractive.

It is illegal in the UK to buy or sell ivory unless specific criteria have been met.

In the UK ivory must be 'antique'. The definition for 'antique' is if the ivory carving was made before 1947; in the US, 'antique' is defined as more than 100 years old and the seller and buyer must also have the correct legal import permits. Paperwork must be produced to prove a piece is 'antique'; if this is not available the seller must approach Defra for certification. The item must also be “worked” - carved.

The IFAW warned consumers that they could land themselves in hot water for unknowingly buying or selling illegal peices of ivory via the internet.

“Despite the fact that Ebay does not regulate its site, police have been known to have a look around such sites so people should be aware that they could be caught,” said Hill.

“If a person is caught buying or selling ivory illegally they could face a maximum £5,000 fine and/or two year jail sentence,” she added.

Hill therefore advised people to refrain from buying over the internet and report any illegal activity to the police, or the IWFA.

Mr Petrou also advised people who wanted to buy ivory to avoid the internet as they could be taken for a ride. He said it was best to deal with antique dealers who are members of professional associations such as the British Antique Dealers Association (BARDA).