DNA Samples Help Fight Illegal Ivory Trade
- By George Putic
Illegal trade of wild animals has become the world’s fourth largest international crime. Many of the animals are killed only for their highly sought-after parts, such as rhinos for their horns or elephants for their ivory tusks. A scientist from the University of Washington, in Seattle, has developed a new method for tracking where seized elephant tusks came from, helping international law enforcement agencies pinpoint the hotspots of the illegal trade. VOA’s George Putic has more.