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Elephant poaching is on the rise. Worst hit is the African elephant – with 51,000 reportedly killed for their ivory in 2013. New research in the journal Science this week has shown that the poaching is not localised and scattered throughout Africa. But rather concentrated in two main hotspots. Conservation Biologist, Dr Sam Wasser, at the University of Washington in the US, came to these conclusions after analysing the DNA in the seized ivory, and then matching it to elephant material found in their dung, to tie the elephant’s origin back to one particular place.

(Photo caption: A poached elephant lies in the Mozambican bush after being shot dead by poacher gunfire © Alastair Nelson/Wildlife Conservation Society via AP)