An enormous gravel crusher spewed chips of ivory, turning six tons of illegal elephant ivory tusks, trinkets and souvenirs into gravel at an event hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Denver today. There were few dry eyes among the celebrities, congressional delegates, foreign ambassadors, conservationists and journalists invited to witness the historic event.

The message behind this dramatic act was unmistakable: the United States will not tolerate ivory trafficking and is committed to stopping wildlife crime. The ivory is the accumulated contraband from more than 20 years of seizures by U.S. law enforcement.

“I do not doubt that the ivory crush sends a signal out to the world that the US has zero tolerance for poaching,” said Ginette Hemley, speaking at the event. “This symbolic act must be supported with real action and WWF is calling for a moratorium on ivory trade and sales in the US”

Unrelenting demand

The illegal ivory crushed in Denver—all of it seized and surrendered on American soil—represents a fraction of what is being bought, sold and smuggled in and out of the country.