The illegal ivory trade is not a single route or market. It is a chain that begins with an elephant killed or illegally sourced, continues through brokers and transport networks, and may cross several borders before the ivory reaches a consumer market.
Poaching is the first link
Ivory trafficking begins at the source. The conservation impact is therefore shaped not only by demand but by where elephants are being killed, which populations are being targeted and whether the pressure is concentrated in particular landscapes.
Why large seizures matter
A seizure can preserve evidence about much more than the shipment itself. DNA analysis can help identify where tusks originated, while documentation, packaging, shipping routes and intelligence can expose relationships between shipments and criminal networks.
From field biology to enforcement
The original Elephant Ivory Project was connected to this problem through reference DNA. Better geographic coverage makes forensic assignment more informative when seized ivory is tested.
What this silo covers
- Elephant poaching
- Ivory seizures and forensic evidence
- Trafficking routes and criminal networks
- Trade controls and enforcement
- How conservation science supports investigations
For the genetics behind source identification, see Elephant DNA Forensics.