The impact of the ivory trade on the African elephant Loxodonta africana population as assessed by data from the trade

Abstract

Data on the total quantity and tusk sizes of African elephant Loxodonta africana ivory entering the international trade over the last decade are reviewed. This work investigated how different levels of hunting and different strengths of selectivity by hunters in favour of larger tusks would produce different ivory tonnages and tusk size distributions in the trade. It shows that the removal of about 12–13% of elephants with tusks each year, combined with hunters showing a preference for elephants with larger tusks, would be expected to produce quantities of ivory and tusk size distributions compatible with those reported in international trade.