ABOVE: Watch as authorities in Ethiopia set fire to 6.1 tonnes of illegal ivory in a uniquely artistic ceremony
A large stockpile of ivory was burned in Ethiopia’s capital on Friday, a strong signal that the government wants to end the illegal trafficking of wildlife.
The event was held at the Gulele Botanical Gardens in Addis Ababa.
The decision to destroy the ivory came from a pledge Ethiopia made at a conference held in London in February last year.
The Chief Executive of conservation NGO Space for Giants, Max Graham estimated the stockpile of 6.1 tonnes of ivory could be worth up to 20 million US dollars.
The Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority said authorities had prosecuted 492 people who were caught collecting the ivorythat was burnt in the stock pile.
Ethiopia remains a key trafficking hub for smuggled ivory.
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