Conservation
Owing to poaching and the high demand for ivory, the African forest elephant population approached critical levels in the 1990s and early 2000s. Late in the 20th century, conservation workers established a DNA identification system to trace the origin of poached ivory. It had long been known that the ivory of the African forest elephant was particularly hard, with a pinkish tinge, and straight (whereas that of the African bush elephant is curved). The DNA tests, however, indicated the two populations were much more different than previously appreciated — indeed, in its genetic makeup, the African forest elephant is almost two-thirds as distinct from the African bush elephant as the Asian elephant is.
Read more about this topic: African Forest Elephant
Famous quotes containing the word conservation:
“The putting into force of laws which shall secure the conservation of our resources, as far as they may be within the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, including the more important work of saving and restoring our forests and the great improvement of waterways, are all proper government functions which must involve large expenditure if properly performed.”
—William Howard Taft (1857–1930)
“A country grows in history not only because of the heroism of its troops on the field of battle, it grows also when it turns to justice and to right for the conservation of its interests.”
—Aristide Briand (1862–1932)