Emily Chan
“If the ship was sailing from North Africa, the ivory could represent the North African elephant population, which went extinct at some point during Roman times,” said Dr. Patrícia Pečnerová, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.
The remains from the shipwreck offer an opportunity for researchers to sequence genetic DNA and determine their roots. Afterward, they can compare the ancient DNA to the genetics of modern-day elephants across Africa.
Even with the tusks, it is difficult to determine what species Hannibal’s elephants were from. Truthfully, we may never know their exact origins.
Still, by examining the tusks, scientists can at least learn more about the genetic diversity of elephants before humans wiped out certain species. The studies can help inform conservation efforts for elephants today.
