Displaying items by tag: Ivory

A research team which includes a scientist from Flinders University has devised a means of analysing very small amounts of DNA to identify the origins of old ivory, a development that could be used to thwart international ivory poachers.

Enforcement of an international ivory ban has reduced the numbers of elephants killed each year. However, any type of approval to lift that ban (even temporarily) will, in all likelihood, spur more killing of elephants for their ivory.

Scientists who study elephants are joining together for a moratorium on legal ivory sales around the world. According to the lead scientist in the moratorium, illegal poaching of ivory causes the death of 8% of the elephant population each year.