Poached elephant skulls. View of the skulls of elephants that have been killed by poachers for their tusks. Poached elephant tusks are sold for ivory, which is illegal in many countries, and is carefully monitored. Poaching of these animals has led to a dramatic reduction in their numbers, and they are now classified as an endangered species. National parks and reserves have been set up in an effort to preserve the wildlife, but poachers still succeed in killing many animals. Photographed in the Lake Kariba National Park, Zambia.