Poaching - Overexploitation

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/01/31
/time-running-out-to-save-elephants-from-ivory-trade/

Poaching is the greatest threat to elephants, with an estimated number of 30,000 to 38,000 elephants poached for their ivory every year. Despite the current ban on trading and selling ivory, the ivory found in elephant tusks is currently being sold illegally for extremely high prices. Ivory is bought and traded throughout Asia, China is the largest buyer of ivory in the world (Battle for the Elephants).
Both males and females have tusks that continue to grow throughout their life.  Their tusks are used for a multitude of activities including digging for food and water, foraging, and are used as a defense mechanism. Poachers kill the elephants and remove their tusks in order to harvest ivory in an extremely gruesome manner. The ivory is then smuggled illegally into China and other countries where it is made into things such as trinkets, carvings, religious items. 

Original figure using data from "Ivory Worship"

In 1989 CITES placed a ban on ivory trade to protect the elephant populations. While the ban was effective temporarily, CITES allowed the trade of two stockpiles of ivory in 1999 and 2008. This encouraged the trade of illegal ivory and elephant populations began plummeting once more. The demands for ivory are now higher than ever, and the rate of poaching only continues to increase. It is believed that approximately 70 elephants are poached every day. In a recent National Geographic study of the Chinese middle class, 80% polled said they own at least one piece of ivory, and 84% said that they intend to buy ivory in the future (Battle for the Elephants). There is obvious correlation shown between China's development and economic growth and the steep decline of the African Elephant populations. 
With ivory prices escalating, and the political climate in many parts of Africa encouraging poaching as a form of obtaining money, poaching is clearly still a huge problem for fate of the elephant population and shows no signs of stopping.Tens of thousands of elephants are still being poached each year, with 2011 being one of the worst years for elephants in history.  Because of the illegal ivory trade, the huge populations of elephants that once roamed many parts of Africa have shrunk to small, fragmented populations that are at high risk of poaching.

Original Figure - data from Battle for the Elephants