Hippo teeth are often seen by consumers as a legal alternative to elephant ivory. However, demand for hippo teeth is increasingly threatening the long-term survival of this species. Like elephant ivory, hippo ivory (teeth) is carved into sculptures and trinkets and highly sought after in China and the United States. There is both a legal trade and a vast illegal trade—as evidenced by a 2017 University of Hong Kong study that found more hippo teeth brought into Hong Kong than were reported leaving African countries.

HIPPOPOTAMUS LINKS:

Why Is This Country Auctioning Off Hippo Teeth?

https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/wildlife-watch-hippo-teeth-auction-ivory-smuggling/

Missing teeth: Discordances in the trade of hippo ivory between Africa and Hong Kong

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aje.12441