A herd of elephants roams across a grassy plain. The animals are in Malawi, a country in Africa. Above them, a man leans out of a helicopter and fires a dart gun. Darts hit the massive animals and they fall, one by one, to the ground. The elephants are knocked out but unharmed. Soon, the animals will be transported 200 miles to a new home.

This scene from last July was part of a project called 500 Elephants. The goal is to relocate 500 elephants by the end of this summer. They will be moved to a park in northern Malawi called the Nkhotakota (nik-HOH-ta-koh-ta) Wildlife Reserve. The elephants being moved there are safe from poachers who kill elephants to trade (buy and sell) their ivory tusks. The 500 Elephants team has the same goal as many other conservation groups. They want to save Africa’s elephants before the animals become extinct. 

A herd of elephants roams across a grassy plain. The animals are in Malawi, a country in Africa. Above them, a man leans out of a helicopter and fires a dart gun. Darts hit the massive animals. They fall, one by one, to the ground. The elephants are knocked out but unharmed. Soon, they will be transported 200 miles to a new home.

This scene from last July was part of a project called 500 Elephants. The goal is to relocate 500 elephants by the end of this summer. 

They will be moved to a park in northern Malawi. It’s called the Nkhotakota (nik-HOH-ta-koh-ta) Wildlife Reserve. There, elephants are safe from poachers who kill elephants for their ivory tusks. The 500 Elephants team has the same goal as many other conservation groups. They want to save Africa’s elephants before the animals become extinct.  

There was a time when African elephants numbered in the millions. Today, experts estimate that fewer than 500,000 are left. A survey released last August called the Great Elephant Census shows just how urgent the situation is. The number of Africa’s savanna elephants dropped by nearly one-third since 2007.

“Sadly, wherever these animals exist in the wild, they are threatened,” says Andrea Heydlauff. She works for the conservation group that started 500 Elephants.

African elephants used to number in the millions. Today, experts estimate that fewer than 500,000 are left. A survey released last August shows just how urgent the situation is. It’s called the Great Elephant Census. The census showed that the number of Africa’s savanna elephants dropped by nearly one-third since 2007.

“Sadly, wherever these animals exist in the wild, they are threatened,” says Andrea Heydlauff. She works for the conservation group that started 500 Elephants.

To help save elephants, nations around the world made an agreement in 1989. They made it illegal to trade most ivory taken from elephants after that year. But these rules haven’t stopped poachers. Every day, about 100 elephants in Africa are still killed for their ivory tusks.

Poachers shoot or poison the elephants. Then they saw off the tusks, leaving the dead bodies behind. Most of the tusks are smuggled by ship from Africa to Asia. About 70 percent of illegal ivory ends up in China. 

In China and some other countries in Asia, ivory is a symbol of wealth. It’s carved  into items like jewelry, statues, and chopsticks. Some people use crushed ivory in medicines, mistakenly believing it has healing powers.

Ivory isn’t in demand only in Asia. The U.S. is the second-largest market for ivory.

“Ivory is beautiful, but it comes from dead elephants,” explains James Deutsch, from the Great Elephant Census team. “Wouldn’t we rather have elephants in the world than ivory chopsticks?”

Nations around the world want to help save elephants. In 1989, they made an agreement. They made it illegal to trade most ivory taken from elephants after that year. Trade means to buy or sell. But these rules haven’t stopped poachers. Every day, about 100 elephants in Africa are still killed for their ivory tusks.

Poachers shoot or poison the elephants. Then they saw off the tusks. Poachers leave the dead bodies behind. Most of the tusks are smuggled by ship from Africa to Asia. About 70 percent of illegal ivory ends up in China. 

In China and some other countries in Asia, ivory is a symbol of wealth. It’s carved into items like jewelry, statues, and chopsticks. Some people use crushed ivory in medicines. They mistakenly believe it has healing powers.

Ivory isn’t in demand only in Asia. The U.S. is the second-largest market for ivory.

“Ivory is beautiful, but it comes from dead elephants,” explains James Deutsch. He’s from the Great Elephant Census team. “Wouldn’t we rather have elephants in the world than ivory chopsticks?”

Last year, the world’s top two ivory markets agreed to work together to end the ivory trade in their countries. In July, the U.S. toughened its laws about trading ivory. Now, most ivory sold in the U.S. must be at least 100 years old—from long before elephants were at risk.

In December, China also made a huge announcement, one that many conservationists say is the biggest yet. China said it would ban the trade of all ivory by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the elephants that were moved last summer are adjusting well to their new home. Deutsch knows that elephants still face a difficult struggle. But he’s optimistic about the future of the species.

“I think we will solve this problem eventually,” he says. 

Last year, the world’s top two ivory markets agreed to work together. They want to end the ivory trade (buying and selling) in their countries. In July, the U.S. toughened its laws about trading ivory. Now, most ivory sold in the U.S. must be at least 100 years old. That’s from long before elephants were at risk.

In December, China also made a huge announcement. Many conservationists say it’s the biggest change yet. China said it would ban the trade of all ivory by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the elephants that were moved last summer are adjusting well to their new home. Deutsch knows that elephants still face a difficult struggle. But he’s optimistic about the future of the species.

“I think we will solve this problem eventually,” he says. 

1. What is the goal of the 500 Elephants project?

2. What evidence supports the idea that the situation for elephants is urgent?

3. How is the demand for ivory affecting Africa's elephants?

4. What steps are countries taking to end the ivory trade?

5. In your own words, explain what is happening in the photo at the top of page 5.

1. What is the goal of the 500 Elephants project?

2. What evidence supports the idea that the situation for elephants is urgent?

3. How is the demand for ivory affecting Africa's elephants?

4. What steps are countries taking to end the ivory trade?

5. In your own words, explain what is happening in the photo at the top of page 5.