Woolly mammoth DNA found in illegal ivory samples seized in Cambodia

Surprising discovery part of a wider project to track elephant poaching.

Efforts to tackle the illegal ivory trade took a surprising turn when trinkets from a Cambodian market turned out to be made from woolly mammoth tusks.

Edinburgh Zoo-based scientists made the unusual discovery as part of a project using genetic analysis in a bid to tackle wildlife crime.

DNA from samples of ivory can be used to identify poaching hotspots, and in their Cambodian work the team identified many samples from Asian and African elephants – species that are being wiped out by hunting and habitat loss.

In full: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/woolly-mammoth-dna-ivory-illegal-discovery-cambodia-wildlife-conservation-a8711241.html

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