DNA identifies poaching spots

SEATTLE — The problem of elephant poaching might seem as vast and complicated as the African continent itself, but a new analysis from the University of Washington shows that the bulk of the slaughter is concentrated in just two hot spots: Tanzania in the east, and a protected ecosystem centered in Gabon in the west.

The findings can help guide efforts to crack down on the illegal ivory trade, which is responsible for the deaths of up to 50,000 el- ephants a year, said lead author Sam Wasser.

“If poaching is happening everywhere, it becomes a very daunting challenge,” said Wasser, director of the University of Washington Center for Conservation Biology. “But if you look at where the killing is taking place, and we’re able to narrow it down to just two places, now you’ve got a real game changer.”

Wasser and his colleagues, including an Interpol expert on wildlife smuggling, analyzed DNA from tusks and ivory products from 28 large shipments seized around the world be- tween 1996 and 2014. One haul confiscated in Malaysia contained ivory from at least 1,200 elephants.

To figure out where the elephants were killed, the researchers compared DNA extracted from the ivory to a reference map of genetic signatures developed at the university through painstaking analysis of thousands of samples of elephant dung and hair collected across Africa. That work showed clear genetic distinctions between elephants from different regions, allowing the scientists to identify an individual’s home range within 60 to 180 miles.