What is ivory made of and how hard is it compared to bone?
Ivory consists mainly of dentin, one of the physical structures found in mammalian teeth. A measured hardness of 35 on the Vickers scale exceeds that of bone.
Questions about Ivory
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did African elephant populations decline due to trade demand?
Massive African elephant decline occurred in the 1980s when populations dropped from 1.3 million to around 600,000 in ten years. In the ten years preceding a decision in 1989 by CITES to ban international trade, African elephant populations declined from 1.3 million to around 600,000.
Which countries banned ivory trade in May 2015 and January 1990?
China announced it would phase out legal domestic manufacture and sale of products in May 2015. The African elephant received Appendix I status preventing international trade in January 1990.
Where are centers of ivory milling located in Connecticut during the 1860s?
Deep River and Ivoryton became centers of ivory milling in the 1860s due to demand for piano keys. Up to 90 percent of imported ivory was processed in Connecticut.
What is vegetable ivory and where does the ivory nut palm grow?
Vegetable ivory or tagua is the seed endosperm of the ivory nut palm found in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. It offers a sustainable alternative despite size limits on usability.