The government in Belgium crushed their entire stockpile of illegal ivory -- about 1.7 tonnes. They follow China and the US in doing so.
Elephant ivory is seen as a symbol of wealth in many Asian countries but conservationists said elephant populations can no longer sustain the poaching. Trade in illegal ivory has trebled since 1998.
The Belgian government's decision to crush the stockpile is a symbolic statement of their intent to help stop elephant poaching in Africa.
