The tusks of almost
7,000 elephants, weighing more than 100 tonnes, have been burned in
Kenya in a symbolic warning to ivory poachers.
“We are going to put you out of business,”
Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta said in a message to poachers, delivered
to a crowd gathered for the burning ceremony at Nairobi National Park
on Saturday.
Around 5% of the global stocks of ivory was burned in 11 symbolic pyres, along with 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn.
While the trade of ivory has been banned since 1989, authorities have estimated that the stockpiles would have been worth around $105 million (£82 million) on the black market.
While the import of ivory into China – where it is highly prized – is illegal, activists have expressed concern that legal sales of ivory could cover up the illegal sale of newly produced, smuggled ivory products.
While the trade of ivory has been banned since 1989, authorities have estimated that the stockpiles would have been worth around $105 million (£82 million) on the black market.
Kenyatta will join global leaders in pushing
for a total international ivory ban at a United Nations summit later
this year, which would include the sale of ivory bought before 1989.
While the import of ivory into China – where it is highly prized – is illegal, activists have expressed concern that legal sales of ivory could cover up the illegal sale of newly produced, smuggled ivory products.
Ivory burnings of
this kind have been held in Kenya many times before, but not on this
scale, and it is hoped that today’s burning will send a strong message
to poachers.
More than 30,000 of Africa’s 450,000 elephants are thought to be lost to
poaching every year, and 94 have been killed in Kenya alone this year
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