Bob Smith – The Conversation

Ivory poaching is threatening regional elephant populations. MPH Photos/Shutterstock

November 18, 2022

Japan’s ivory market is no longer a threat to elephant populations – here’s why

Laura Thomas-Walters, University of Stirling; Bob Smith, University of Kent; Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford, and Takahiro Kubo, University of Oxford

Japan was one of the world’s largest ivory markets – research explains why the country is no longer a key destination for the product.

African elephant. Shutterstock/MOIZ HUSEIN STORYTELLER

June 8, 2021

How elephants raid crops in Kenya’s Masai Mara has changed. Why it matters

Lydia Tiller, University of Kent and Bob Smith, University of Kent

Crop raiding is happening more often in the Masai Mara, in different places and at different times of the year.

A smuggled pangolin rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Indonesia. Arief Budi Kusuma/Shutterstock

July 9, 2020

How can we stop people wanting to buy illegal wildlife products?

Laura Thomas-Walters, University of Kent; Bob Smith, University of Kent, and Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford

Promote new habits, find out why people engage with the wildlife trade and don’t make it seem more widespread than it really is.

It can be easier to raise money to aid animals like these African elephants than species that are more threatened with extinction but get humans less excited. www.shutterstock.com

July 5, 2017

Even ugly animals can win hearts and dollars to save them from extinction

Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford and Bob Smith, University of Kent

Must the money raised to save wildlife always aid the most popular animals? New research suggests that marketing can persuade donors that northern hairy-nosed wombat lives matter too.

Save The Elephants suggests that 100,000 elephants were killed for their tusks in the past three years. EPA/Daniel Irungu

April 9, 2015

Ivory and saving elephants: how corruption is undermining every aspect of conservation

Bob Smith, University of Kent

If we want to save elephants we need to tackle widespread corruption that threatens their populations – and this goes for all wildlife.

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