VIDEO: Watch Officials Crush 1 Ton of Ivory in Times Square

— -- One ton of illegal ivory was crushed today in Times Square.

The event was part of an effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to raise awareness about the illegal ivory trade and to urge the public not to buy such products.

Elephant poaching is at its highest level in decades, with the animals slaughtered to meet the demands of the international ivory market, according to the federal government.

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According to officials the ivory came from a massive 2012 bust in Philadelphia and other operations throughout the US.

The United States is one of the world’s largest consumers of illegal wildlife products.