Kenya is protesting the continuous poaching of elephants and rhinoceros targeted for their tusks and horns through a mass burning of ivory and rhino horns scheduled to take place at the end of April. The event will mark the world’s biggest burning, with over 106 tonnes of ivory and 1.35 tonnes of rhino horn involved. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will lead the symbolic mass burning against poaching the country’s iconic species, while other African Heads-of-State, conservationists, and local and international celebrities will also be in attendance.
The decision by the Kenyan government to burn the ivory highlights the East African’s commitment to protect its national pride and heritage by putting an end to wildlife poaching and illegal wildlife trade, whatever it takes. This month’s scheduled mass burning will mark the second time that Kenya is taking such a drastic stand against poaching, as last year 15 tonnes of ivory were destroyed over the course of seven days.