Kenya has set ablaze a huge stockpile of ivory and rhino horns, the biggest ivory burn in world history. The East African nation says it wants to highlight the poaching crisis and put it beyond economic use.

NAIROBI, April 30, 2016(Xinhua)-- Fire fighters watch the fire at the site of burning ivory and rhino horn in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 30, 2016. Kenya on Saturday torched at least 105 tons of ivory and 1.3 tons of rhino horn to reinforce Kenya's commitment to eradicate the menace of poaching. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

More than 100 tonnes of ivory and rhino horn up in flames.

These pyres represent 6000 elephants -- their tusks reclaimed from illegal poaching over 3 decades. This is the largest ivory burn in history.

In keeping with a tradition which started with Kenya's first burn in 1989, Uhuru Kenyatta has pledged to put ivory beyond economic use.

"There are indications that our elephant numbers are recovering. That is only the more reason to aggressively protect the survivors of this horrific war and to do what we can to ensure that never again will our elephants be attacked in this way," said Uhuru Kenyatta, President of Kenya.

"Gabon is the home today of more than half of surviving forest elephants despite having lost over the last ten years more than 10,000 elephants. But even in Gabon, the value of a forest elephant ivory has sparked an alarming increase in poaching. Poaching has turned elephants into refugees," said Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon.

NAIROBI, April 30, 2016(Xinhua)-- A fireman walks past burning ivory in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 30, 2016. Kenya on Saturday torched at least 105 tons of ivory and 1.3 tons of rhino horn to reinforce Kenya's commitment to eradicate the menace of poaching. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei)

But with a street value of over 170 million dollars, some say the stockpile should have been sold, the money put towards conservation.

Kenya says that by destroying the tusks and horn it's telling the world its wildlife is not for sale. Once the flames die down. Kenya and other African countries besieged by poachers face the task of bringing the continent's elephants back from the brink- they'll need to tackle corruption and stem demand.

Kenya also says it will reiterate its call for a total ivory ban at September's international wildlife trade conference in South Africa. And that this burn sends a strong and sombre message to the world that Kenya's wildlife is not for sale.