In an effort to protect elephants from extinction, the global community banned the trade of elephant ivory. However, mammoth ivory remains legal to sell, and the two types are hard to distinguish—particularly for those without expertise. This creates a potential loophole that illegal ivory traders can take advantage of.
Stable isotope analysis may now offer a fast and affordable way to screen ivory samples and help prevent the illegal sale of elephant ivory.
Scientists Aim to Close Ivory Loophole with Fast, Affordable Detection Tool
“Smugglers often hide banned wildlife products among legal ones that look similar to avoid detection,” explained Dr. Pavel Toropov of the University of Hong Kong, a co-author of the study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. “There’s growing concern that this tactic is being used to disguise elephant ivory as mammoth ivory. Our goal was to create a tool that can quickly and cost-effectively tell the difference.”
Dr. Maria Santos, the study’s lead author, added, “Our findings show that stable isotope analysis of hydrogen and oxygen is a reliable method for distinguishing between elephant and mammoth ivory.”
She explained that the difference comes down to water sources: mammoths, which lived in colder regions like Siberia, consumed water with isotope signatures that are distinct from those found in water drunk by elephants in tropical climates.
Ivory Ban Aims to Save Elephants as Trade Shifts to Ancient Mammoth Tusk
Poachers kill elephants for their tusks, and the ongoing demand for ivory has driven African elephant populations down by over 80% in the past century. This crisis has led to global bans on the trade and sale of elephant ivory. In contrast, mammoth ivory comes from long-dead animals preserved in permafrost, often found in high-latitude areas like Siberia.
“Mammoth ivory sells for far less than elephant ivory, but the two are viewed as entirely different materials by experts and artisans,” said Dr. Pavel Toropov. “Mammoth ivory tends to lack the rich, creamy white tone that makes elephant ivory so prized. One trader even likened the difference to that between a ‘Lamborghini and a Ford.’ While mammoth ivory isn’t a true substitute, its real value may be in masking illegal elephant ivory.”
Dr. Maria Santos explained that although the best current methods to tell the two apart—molecular analysis and radiocarbon dating—are reliable, they are costly and slow, especially for polished or carved pieces where visual cues are unclear.
Researchers Turn to Stable Isotope Analysis to Distinguish Mammoth and Elephant Ivory
To address this, the researchers explored stable isotope analysis. Isotopes—variants of elements that exist in differing ratios depending on the environment—offer a promising alternative. Because mammoths lived in cold, tundra regions and elephants in warm, tropical areas, the isotopic makeup of their tusks differs. These distinctions can be used to identify whether ivory came from a mammoth or an elephant more quickly and affordably.
The researchers analyzed 79 ivory samples—44 identified as elephant ivory and 35 as mammoth ivory. Some were confiscated by Hong Kong authorities, while others were purchased from local markets and carvers in Hong Kong and Shanghai. The team measured stable isotope ratios for five elements—carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur—to determine which best distinguished between the two ivory types.
They discovered that hydrogen and oxygen isotopes provided the clearest separation between elephant and mammoth ivory. There was no overlap in hydrogen ratios and minimal overlap in oxygen ratios, both reflecting the different water sources consumed by each species. In contrast, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur ratios showed significant overlap, making them less useful for differentiation.
Although more research is needed—particularly on how factors like tusk location or animal age might affect isotope readings—this method shows promise as a fast, affordable initial screening tool to flag suspicious ivory.
“We hope the approach outlined in our study will be used to quickly screen large quantities of supposed mammoth ivory,” said Santos. “Samples that appear to match elephant ivory profiles can then undergo more thorough testing, like radiocarbon dating. This layered approach could help close loopholes in the ivory trade and strengthen efforts to stop illegal sales.”
Read the original article on: Science Alert
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