Later Greenlandic tusks appear to have come from more distant populations, suggesting that hunters may have had to travel farther as local or accessible resources changed.

Imagine what that means on the ground.

A hunter leaves the settlement.

The sea is unpredictable.

The journey is long.

The prey is farther away.

The return journey is equally dangerous.

And at the end of it, the ivory still has to be carried to Europe.