There's no consensus on just how many of Africa's elephants are left. The World Wildlife Fund, for example, estimates that the population could be as few as 470,000 and as many as 690,000. Whatever the exact figure, it's clear that China's demand for ivory has created significant financial incentives for poachers to hunt the herds that remain scattered across the continent.
On Monday, a group of researchers published what they billed "the most comprehensive assessment of illegal ivory harvest to date."
Their conclusion, based on two methods of assessing illegal killing, is that poaching has not only reduced elephant populations, but it has also become unsustainable.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.