Genetic assignment of large seizures of elephant ivory reveals Africa’s major poaching hotspots

Poaching of elephants is now occurring at rates that threaten African populations with extinction. Identifying the number and location of Africa’s major poaching hotspots may assist efforts to end poaching and facilitate recovery of elephant populations. We genetically assign origin to 28 large ivory seizures (≥0.5 tons) made between 1996-2014, also testing assignment accuracy. Results suggest that the major poaching hotspots in Africa may be currently concentrated in as few as two areas. Increasing law enforcement in these two hotspots could help curtail future elephant losses across Africa and disrupt this organized transnational crime.

当前大象偷猎的速率已达到足以威胁非洲象种群灭绝的程度。明确非洲主要偷猎热点区域的数量与分布位置，将有助于遏制偷猎行为并推动非洲象种群的恢复。本研究对1996年至2014年间破获的28起涉案重量≥0.5吨的大宗象牙走私案件开展了遗传溯源分析，并同步验证了溯源结果的准确性。分析结果显示，当前非洲主要偷猎热点区域或仅集中于两处。强化这两处热点区域的执法力度，将有助于遏制非洲全境未来的象群损失，并打击此类有组织跨国犯罪活动。