Question

China announced a ban on the sale of elephant ivory for profit in 2017. Ivory is a rare and valuable commodity in China. It is purchased and sold for large amounts of money and carved into jewelry and statues. Carving and collecting ivory in China is a respected tradition. Unfortunately, much of the ivory used for carving comes from African elephants, killed by poachers solely for their tusks. The goal of China’s ban is to reduce this poaching.

To preserve their tradition, some ivory artists and collectors have turned to another source of ivory. They are using the tusks of the prehistoric woolly mammoth.

According to the article, what is a woolly mammoth and why are its tusks so valuable? What has made the mammoths' remains easier to find and collect? Why does this present a problem?

Answer 1

A woolly mammoth is an extinct elephant species whose tusks are highly prized for their ivory. The mammoths' remains are easier to find and collect because of their preservation in ice, but the increase in demand for mammoth ivory presents a problem for their conservation.

Step-by-step explanation:

A woolly mammoth is an extinct species of elephant that lived during the Ice Age. Its tusks are valuable because they are made of ivory, a material that is highly prized for carving and decoration. Mammoth tusks are valuable due to their large size and unique texture.

The remains of woolly mammoths are easier to find and collect because they have been preserved in the ice of Siberia and other northern regions. As the climate warms and the ice melts, more mammoth remains are being exposed. However, this presents a problem because the increased demand for mammoth ivory could potentially drive up the illegal hunting of mammoths, which could have negative consequences for the preservation of the species.