Kenyan authorities say elephant poaching in their country is increasing.

Three months after police seized 500 kilos of illegal ivory in a raid, a new international police operation, dubbed Operation Costa, seized a further 500 kilos. Police also arrested 65 people and confiscated weapons, vehicles and animal skins. Most of the ivory is thought to have been destined for markets in Asia.

Last year, four countries in southern Africa arranged a supervised, one-off sale of ivory. Kenyan environmentalists say this indirectly encouraged elephant poachers by creating a fresh demand for the substance.

Photo of African elephant by iandc (flickr)