Ivory is a hard, white material, derived from the tusks and teeth of animals, that is used in art or manufacturing. It consists of dentine, a tissue that is similar to bone. It has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes  Big TargetsSavanna Elephants took the worst hit. They were big targets and sported the largest tusks. Picture of ivory Population Between 1979 and 1989, the worldwide demand for ivory caused elephant populations to dangerously low levels. During this time period, poaching fueled by ivory sales cut Africa's elephant populations in half. At first, in 1930-1940 there were 3.5 million. In 1977, 1.3 million elephants lived in Africa, by 1997 only 600,000 lived. During 2005-2007, there were only 200,000.  |
