What do you think about Kenya burning massive stockpiles of confiscated elephant ivory?

“Kenya plans to use the occasion to torch as many as 120 tons of ivory, the largest stockpile of ivory ever destroyed by any country, as proof of our commitment to zero tolerance for poaching and illegal ivory trade,” presidential spokesperson Manoah Esipisu told reporters.

I understand the sentiment that no one should profit from the trade in illegal ivory now, and for the foreseeable future, but isn’t it somewhat shortsighted to destroy the ivory that 4,000 African elephants gave their lives for? I don’t believe humans will ever bring elephants back to the point that their ivory will be harvested, but hopefully we’ll eventually stop people killing them just for the ivory.

Couldn’t the poached ivory be stored in a secure location? Like maybe the American salt flats? So that, in time, the ivory could be used for artistic purposes and projects that celebrate the elephant?

Kenya to burn massive ivory stockpile