Episode 1

Synopsis

Is the African elephant once again heading for extinction?

Twenty years ago the African elephant was being fast-tracked to biological oblivion by poaching. In response, the world voted to outlaw the international trade in ivory. Since then, elephant numbers in many countries have been recovering. But in the last five years, ivory poaching and trafficking have surged upwards again.

One group of conservation scientists has calculated that 38,000 animals every year are being slaughtered to feed the demand for ivory products in East Asia. If that poaching rate is correct and sustained, the African elephant will be extinct effectively across most of the continent within fifteen years.

Some other elephant experts argue the slaughter rate is not as high as this but are still alarmed at the steep increase in poaching in many African countries.

Andrew Luck-Baker visits Kenya, just one of the countries where elephant poaching is accelerating. He also talks to the scientist behind an ivory DNA test which is helping the fight against the organised crime syndicates, which are behind the illegal trade.