The issue of elephant conservation has been on the forefront of public concern as of late, with significant steps being made to save the gentle giants from extinction. China, the world’s leading consumer of ivory, finally banned the sale of ivory this year after closing down ivory carving facilities last year, Hong Kong, the world’s leading retail market for ivory, banned ivory sales this year, Zimbabwe’s new president banned the export of live elephants, and the U.S. Federal Court upheld the Obama Administration’s ban on the import of ivory and other animal remains from so-called trophy hunts. Despite all this, however, poachers and the ivory trade are still plaguing the planet, and the above video is proof of this tragic reality.

The video, although very difficult to watch, was shared by Hemmersbach Rhino Force in South Africa in order for the world to see the brutal truth of how the ivory trade operates. A healthy bull estimated to be between 35-40 years old was found collapsed writhing in agony, struggling to breathe, and unable to move or defend himself. This was the fourth elephant to be found poisoned in the Lower Zambezi Valley in just the past few months.

Unfortunately, incidents like this are not uncommon with an African elephant being killed every fifteen minutes. At this rate, the species could go extinct in the wild by the end of the next decade. As Hemmersbach Rhino Force explains, educating the world about what really happens in the ivory trade can help the world change for the better, so please make sure to share this with your network!