When the international trade in ivory occurred, poached elephant ivory was sold alongside legal ivory. Given that poached ivory had an important, undesirable attribute, the possible reasons why the two products were sold in the same market were:

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All of the above reasons are possible explanations for why poached ivory could be sold alongside legal ivory in the same market. Elephants are indeed difficult to monitor in the wild, making it challenging to distinguish between poached and legal ivory. Legal suppliers may struggle to convey the authenticity of their product when competing with poached ivory, which is often marketed deceitfully as legal. Finally, buyers may also have less information than smugglers about the ivory they are purchasing, potentially leading to confusion and a lack of discernment between legal and illegal ivory.

When the International Trade in Ivory Occurred, Poached Elephant Ivory