Elephant poaching deaths reach tipping point in Africa (BBC) {now exceed births}
By Rebecca Morelle
Science Correspondent, BBC News
Africa's elephants have reached a tipping point: more are being killed each year than are being born, a study says.
Researchers believe that since 2010 an average of nearly 35,000 elephants have been killed annually on the continent.
They warn that if the rate of poaching continues, the animals could be wiped out in 100 years.
The work is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Lead author George Wittemyer, from Colorado State University, said: "We are shredding the fabric of elephant society and exterminating populations across the continent."
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more: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28842965
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2014/08/14/1403984111
I still think all seized ivory should be dumped on the market at 10% of the going price -- and when the price goes down, follow it downward. Squeezing the supply only drives the price--and the temptation to profit from poaching--upward.
Same applies to rhino horn, etc.
= new reply since forum marked as read
The zoomass of humans, our livestock (and presumably our vermin) is increasing.
The zoomass of wild fauna is crashing.
Human, domestic and wild terrestrial zoomass over time:
The elephants are in that little sliver of green above,
And are the single little green square at the bottom of this graphic:
