From Pamela Lloyd-Owen
It was interesting to read that there appear to be two distinct species of
elephant in Africa
(1 April, p 15),
but not surprising. My family produced ivory
veneers for piano keyboards from 1800 to 1990. Once a tusk had been cut open, it
was possible for the experts among us to tell its origin. Ivory from different
countries had different characteristics. In particular, ivory from India
(Elephas maximus) and from Zaire had a translucent quality, whereas ivory
from other parts of Africa was opaque. We often speculated about the reasons for
these differences. Two species of African elephant seems a logical explanation.
Colwall Green, Malvern
