29 December 2011 Last updated at 12:20 GMT
Elephant tusks are in huge demand in AsiaMore elephant tusks were seized in 2011 than in any year since 1989, when the ivory trade was banned, international wildlife trade group Traffic says.
The group said elephants have had a “horrible year”, with 23 tonnes of ivory seized – representing at least 2,500 dead animals.
Trade in ivory was banned in 1989 to save elephants from extinction.
But it has continued illegally because of huge demand in Asia, where some believe ivory has medicinal properties.
This is despite ample scientific evidence to the contrary.
“The escalating large ivory quantities involved in 2011 reflect both a rising demand in Asia and the increasing sophistication of the criminal gangs behind the trafficking,” said a statement from Traffic, which monitors the trade in wildlife products.
“Most illegal shipments of African elephant ivory end up in either China or Thailand.”
‘Few arrests’
The group said there had been at least 13 large seizures of ivory this year, compared to six last year.
“In 23 years of compiling ivory seizure data… this is the worst year ever for large ivory seizures. 2011 has truly been a horrible year for elephants,” Traffic’s elephant expert Tom Milliken said.
In the most recent case on 21 December, Malaysian authorities seized hundreds of African elephant tusks worth about $1.3 million (£844,000) that were being shipped to Cambodia.
The ivory was hidden in containers of handicrafts from Kenya’s Mombasa port, Traffic said.
Mr Milliken said despite the seizures, there were generally few arrests.
“I fear the criminals are winning,” he said.