In many regions, poaching may well be the only way to live, apart from subsistence farming. A good pair of tusks might be worth four head of cattle. The more ivory is worth on the black market, the harder the trade is driven, because profits are higher. But the poacher himself, on the lowest rung of the ladder, may see little of these profits, and simply kill any elephant within range, of any size, for what he can get. Once this illegal hunting has reached a certain critical mass, it becomes very difficult, and expensive, for governments and wildlife authorities to contain it.
Constant vigilance is required over huge areas.
Anti-poaching patrols need vehicles and air support, guns, ammunition, and fuel. Many of the countries involved have no efficient system for marking and storing ivory. Efficient controls require funds, unfortunately, in most cases these funds are simply not there. Inflation, devaluation, and other urgent demands on the exchequer mean that relatively few African nations have cash to spare for conservation. Structural adjustment programmes imposed by the International Monetary Fund have meant reductions in government employees, including game scouts and customs officers.