DNA Samples Help Fight Illegal Ivory Trade

Illegal trade of wild animals has become the world’s fourth largest international crime. Many of the animals are killed only for their highly sought-after parts, such as rhinos for their horns or elephants for their ivory tusks. A scientist from the University of Washington, in Seattle, has developed a new method for tracking where seized elephant tusks came from, helping international law enforcement agencies pinpoint the hotspots of the illegal trade. VOA’s George Putic has more.