So the African elephant populations continue to face  an immediate threat to their survival especially in West and Central parts of the continent.

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More African elephants are being killed for ivory than are being born, despite poaching levels falling for the fourth successive year.

The new data, released on World Wildlife Day, shows about 60% of elephant deaths are at the hands of poachers.

Secretary General of the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species John Scanlon  says at least 20,000 elephants were killed for ivory in 2015.

However there are some encouraging signs, including in parts of East Africa, likeKenya, where the poaching trend has declined.

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