This protection prohibits elephant parts and products from being imported into the United States except under certain conditions. The African Elephant Conservation Act of 1988 prohibits the import of raw or worked ivory into the U.S., with certain exceptions. It also set up a grant program to fund elephant conservation efforts. In June 1989, the U.S. government imposed a ban on commercial importation of African elephant ivory into the country. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also supports elephant conservation efforts in other countries through funding and technical assistance that includes resource management, research, and education.
African elephants are the largest of all land animals.
The African elephant has large, floppy ears that cover its shoulders and a small, smooth forehead. Both males and females have large tusks. It also has a dip in its back. Found throughout much of Africa, those living in bush habitat are found south of the Sahara, while those inhabiting forest areas live in Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, and other central and western African nations. Although African elephants numbered approximately 1.5 million in 1978, today there are about 600,000 African elephants remaining in the wild.