Stolen by the Trophy Trade

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Photographer

Mia Collis
Date of Photograph

April 2016
Website

http://www.miacollis.com

In the month of April 2016 the Kenya Wildlife Service catalogued, stacked and burned 105 tons of collected and confiscated ivory and 1.35 tons of rhino horn. It was the largest store of elephant ivory and rhino horn ever assembled in one place. Estimates from 6,000 to 9,000 dead elephants lay at the cremation site with a black market value of over USD 172 million. Ivory and rhino horn have no intrinsic value and this was the East African countries no tolerance message to end the trade and to tell the world that these creatures are worth more alive.

Biography

Mia was born in Nairobi, Kenya in 1980 and has lived in Africa for most of her life. Mia majored in anthropology and now works as a full time photographer. Her work stretches from fine art to reportage and editorial. Published most recently on CNN, The Guardian, Huffington Post, PBS Newshour and Africa Geographic. She has recently exhibited Zebra People - a collaborative exhibition with the Grevy's Zebra Trust opened by Dr. Richard Leakey at the National Museum of Kenya.

Story

In the month of April 2016 the Kenya Wildlife Service catalogued, stacked and burned 105 tons of collected and confiscated ivory and 1.35 tons of rhino horn. It was the largest store of elephant ivory and rhino horn ever assembled in one place. Estimates from 6,000 to 9,000 dead elephants lay at the cremation site with a black market value of over USD 172 million.

Ivory and rhino horn have no intrinsic value and this was the East African countries no tolerance message to end the trade and to tell the world that these creatures are worth more alive.