Wildlife conference in South Africa to help save elephants

South Africa plays host to the world's largest wildlife conference over the next fortnight and one of the main items on the agenda will be how to save the African elephant.

It's not going to be easy - not least because the nations involved have very differing views on how to go about protecting one of the globe's most majestic creatures.

Three countries - Nambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa - are arguing for the ban on the ivory trade to be lifted.

They insist by putting a value on the animal, it's more likely to be preserved.

But their healthy elephant populations are in contrast to many other African countries where the rate of the elephant's decline means the animal is facing extinction within a couple of decades.

A group of nearly 30 countries has formed the African Elephant Coalition and have come up with a string of proposals to try to save the elephant.

The main thrust of the proposals involves ending the ivory trade altogether - putting them at direct odds with South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

There are concerns the trio could split off and work independently.

Namibia and Zimbabwe even want their elephant populations removed from the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna) protection listings altogether.

That would allow them to sell their ivory stockpiles as well as any future ivory garnered.

Sky News was given special access to South Africa's Kruger National Park anti-poaching operations in the days leading up to CITES.

We joined section ranger Kally Ubise and his team on patrol in the Park and saw them building hides where rangers can stay in for weeks in an effort to catch the poachers.

"When we see a dead animal, we feel like we have failed," ranger Ubise told us.

"For us, it is a calling. We have to work 24/7 to ensure these animals survive."

South Africa believes its robust approach to rhino poaching has yielded some success.

It's seen a 17% decrease in the number of rhino poaching deaths compared to this time last year.

But this has coincided with a 400% increase in the numbers of elephants being poached.

Nearly 40 elephants have been killed in the Park this year - a comparatively low figure if contrasted with the statistics of other countries.

But head ranger Ken Maggs told us: "Any dead elephant is one too many. And we will never give up trying to stop poaching - any poaching."

We travelled alongside the forensic team as they were called to investigate the discovery of another elephant carcass.

Pilot Brad Grafton points out the badly decomposed remains close to a pool of water.

"It looks like the vultures and hyenas have got at it," he says.

The investigators set to work with their equipment, examining the skeleton for bullet holes and within minutes they're certain the animal has not died a natural death.

Their metal detector confirms it a short while later when they discover two bullets.

They treat the area like a crime scene and senior investigator Frik Rossouw insists despite the carcass being around 20 days old, it's never too late to nail a poacher.

"If we can match the bullets and tie them to a suspect - along with intelligence from the locals, this could still be used to put a poacher behind bars for 20 years."

The animal was discovered with its tusks still attached and the investigators speculate the poachers managed to fire the shots which would eventually lead to the elephant's death but they either gave up tracking it or were interrupted before they could steal the ivory they had just killed for.

"This sort of sight never fails to upset," says police forensic investigator Frans Van Der Merwe, adding: "Its just indescribable."