Kenya setting an example to the world with historic ivory burn
One of the pyres set to go up in flames at the ivory burn following the Giants Club Summit
Kenya setting an example to the world with historic ivory burn
This Saturday, after the Giants Club Summit, the government of Kenya will burn 105 tonnes of ivory and 1.5 tonnes of rhino horn. The looming pyres of white and yellow already stand silently waiting on the sodden ground of Nairobi National Park. Grim, depressing, awe-inspiring, these mountains of elephant teeth, testament to the loss of thousands upon thousands of the majestic big beasts, provoke a visceral reaction.
Burning the ivory is Kenya’s logical, progressive and robust approach to securing its natural heritage, led in person by the President under the watchful eye of Dr. Richard Leakey, legendary conservationist and palaeontologist and current Chair of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). For the international community, it demonstrates Kenya’s commitment to put its ivory beyond economic use in line with the African-led Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI). It also embodies the growing, common and unequivocal message from across Africa: true value lies with living elephants not cold ivory. READ MORE
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk
