Laser technology offers breakthrough in detecting illegal ivory

A new way of quickly distinguishing between illegal elephant ivory and legal mammoth tusk ivory could prove critical to fighting the illegal ivory trade. A laser-based approach developed by scientists at the Universities of Bristol and Lancaster, could be used by customs worldwide to aid in the enforcement of illegal ivory from being traded under the guise of legal ivory.

Researchers scanned samples of mammoth and elephant tusks from London's Natural History Museum using the laser based method, Raman spectroscopy. Results from the experiment found the technology provided accurate, quick and non-destructive species identification. Dr Jemma Kerns of Lancaster Medical School, added:"The combined approach of a non-destructive laser-based method of Raman spectroscopy with advanced data analysis holds a lot of promise for the identification of unknown samples of ivory, which is especially important, given the increase in available mammoth tusks and the need for timely identification."

Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of EPSRC, said:"By offering a quick and simple alternative to current methods, the use of Raman spectroscopy could play an important role in tackling the illegal ivory trade. The 2016 African Elephant Database survey estimated a total of 410,000 elephants remaining in Africa, a decrease of approximately 90,000 elephants from the previous 2013 report. Although the percentage decline in Asian elephants as a result of illegal poaching is lower, as females do not have tusks, there has been a 50% decline over the last three generations of Asian elephants.

Source: Law Daily Report (lawdailyreport.net)

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