It is estimated that 40,000 elephants are killed in Africa every year. With only about 400,000 African elephants left in the wild, international cooperation is paramount in taking down transnational wildlife trade criminal organizations.

U.S Embassy Nairobi Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Deputy Attaché John Brown collaborated with Singapore's National Parks Board (NParks) and Dr. Samuel Wasser from the University of Washington, Seattle in this effort. Together, they analyzed DNA from 8.8 tons of illegal ivory seized in Singapore, the largest seizure here to date. Using a DNA tracking technology developed by Dr. Wasser, this method has the ability to track the source of the elephant tusks and map the network of criminal organizations. This collaborative effort represents the strong partnership between the U.S. government and NParks and their shared mission in combatting illegal wildlife trafficking.

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