A fire fighter prevents fire from spreading to the grass around the burning ivory pile. Photo by Hou Liqiang/China Daily

The event took place at the Nairobi National Park, the only natural conservancy in the world located in a city.

This is the fourth time the east African country has burned its stockpile. Albeit its consistent anti-poaching stance, the country and Africa at large continue to lose its elephant and rhino populations. Data shows poachers have killed 100,000 elephants in the last three years alone, with Central Africa bearing the biggest brunt. It has lost 64 percent of its population in a decade.

The vice has been nurtured by rampant corruption, porous borders and international cartels that use more sophisticated weapons.