University of Utah researchers developed a new weapon to fight poachers who kill elephants, hippos, rhinos and other wildlife. By measuring radioactive carbon deposited in tusks and teeth by open-air nuclear bomb tests, the method reveals the year an animal died, and thus whether the ivory was taken illegally.
More than 90 percent of ivory in large seized shipments came from elephants that died less than three years before, according to a new University of Utah study. Combining radiocarbon ivory dating with genetic analysis provides a picture of when and where poachers are killing elephants, useful tools in the ongoing battle against illegal animal product trade.
Carbon dating could help HK catch dealers who mix new supplies with legal samples from before , but wildlife groups favour outright ban. New carbon-dating technology, capable of determining when an elephant died with much greater accuracy, could be the key to helping conservation officials tackle a loophole exploited by illegal ivory traders.
A scientific study of ivory traded by dealers across Europe proves that the sales are illegal, according to the activist groups that released the study Tuesday. Avaaz , working with the Elephant Action League , purchased pieces of ivory in 10 countries across Europe in an attempt to demonstrate to European officials that there is, in fact, scientific evidence to prove that some ivory sold by antique shops, private owners and online is on the market illegally.
Measuring the age of carbon that came from nuclear weapons tests in the 20th century could help conservationists detect illegal ivory and pinpoint poaching hotspots, according to new research. The new application of a technique known as "bomb-curve 14C dating" is applied to the carbon contained in both collagen and the mineral apatite within ivory to provide an age of death of the animal from which the ivory originated.
The extra carbon flooding the atmosphere dilutes the relative number of radioactive carbon atoms that are vital to the dating method. By , the age of fresh organic matter will appear indistinguishable from material created in A.