Woolly mammoth DNA found in illegal ivory samples seized in Cambodia
Surprising discovery part of a wider project to track elephant poaching
Josh Gabbatiss
Science Correspondent @josh_gabbatiss
11 hours ago
Efforts to tackle the illegal ivory trade took a surprising turn when trinkets from a Cambodian market turned out to be made from woolly mammoth tusks.

Edinburgh Zoo-based scientists made the unusual discovery as part of a project using genetic analysis in a bid to tackle wildlife crime.

DNA from samples of ivory can be used to identify poaching hotspots, and in their Cambodian work the team identified many samples from Asian and African elephants – species that are being wiped out by hunting and habitat loss.

The woolly mammoth, on the other hand, is not protected as the species was driven to extinction thousands of years ago.

“It was a surprise for us to find trinkets made from woolly mammoth ivory in circulation, especially so early into our testing and in a tropical country like Cambodia,” said Dr Alex Ball, who runs the WildGenes project.

“It is very hard to say what the implications of this finding are for existing elephant populations; however, we plan to continue our research and will use genetics to work out where it has come from.”

The multibillion-pound trade in ivory is responsible for the deaths of up to 30,000 elephants every year, and DNA extracted from illegal shipments has already been used to bring major criminal gang members to justice.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/scie ... 11241.html